Noblesse Oblige
by labyrinths
Summary: Elizabeth and Jack must marry in order to embark on a quest that may yield Calypso's freedom ... and their own survival. Will they be able to get beyond their blistering discord in order to do so? Set during alternate AWE
1. Chapter 1

**Noblesse Oblige**

**By Labyrinths**

_Note: I do not own the characters of this story. Intended only for fun. _

"I thought pirates were men of action. I thought pirates were about adventure. I didn't think pirates sat around and squabbled for hours and weren't able to come to a single, simple decision."

Elizabeth slumped in her seat glaring at Jack Sparrow. He held his ringed hands up in the air and grinned from ear to ear. They had spent three days at Shipwreck Cove and all Jack could say was that the Brethren was still discussing the matter.

"These are scared men. Troubled men," he said picking up a bottle of rum from the table and taking a long swig. "Old men."

"Old, are we?"

Jack almost spit his liquor when his father walked in, but he managed to gulp down the rum in time and bowed his head in the most charming manner.

"Father."

"Son," grumbled Teague Sparrow and glancing at Elizabeth. "I am sorry for the wait Miss Swann but these are difficult times and decisions are not to be made lightly."

"Will a decision even be made?" she asked. " The more you linger…"

"Ah, the whelp can keep himself alive for a few more weeks or so," muttered Jack dismissively. "We have time."

Elizabeth frowned. The only reason why she had journeyed to Shipwreck Cove, the only reason why she hadn't strangled Sparrow yet was that he and his filthy pirate friends might be the only ones capable of saving them all. But specially of saving William.

"Cutler Beckett's fleet moves with the aid of Davy Jones. The existence of all your piratical friends hands in the balance. William Turner, who has twice risked his own skin to save you, is a captive aboard an enemy ship. And you still think we have time?"

"Look here Missy. It's an interesting conundrum, I'll grant you that. But every pirate's thinking the same thing right now. What's in it for me? Why risk my neck? There's plenty of nooks and countries in the world where us ruffians can hide for the rest of our lives. I know a mighty interesting place down in La Florida …"

"You are impossible!"

Elizabeth turned her head away. Teague pulled a chair and sat between them, observing them with apathy.

"Your friend does have a point Jack. It is best to put up a good fight than to go down like a coward, running from your fears."

Jack gave his father a sideway glance and shrugged.

"Still, the Brethren is the Brethren. I'm afraid we have reached an impasse. Hiram De Groot will not budge and he has half of the Brethren on his side."

"And the other on ours," Elizabeth said hotly.

"That still leaves us in a tie. Six captains in favour of launching against Beckett and his allies. Six against it. If Sao Feng had lived, well … but he is dead and his necklace in the grasp of a woman. Which leaves us with twelve captains and no one to cast the deciding vote."

"It's absurd. We should just set sail and try to deal with Beckett by ourselves."

"Yes, that's going to work," muttered Jack.

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Maybe if you hadn't killed Feng…"

"An accident."

"Accident? Giving your history if tricking and attempting to murder men…"

Their voices were rising. Teague banged his fist against the table, hushing them at once. Jack leaned back against his chair while Elizabeth draped her arm against the back of her own chair.

"We need a captain. A captain to wear Feng's necklace and command a ship and thus be able to cast the deciding vote."

"Who? You?" asked Elizabeth.

"No. I already passed on my right within the Brethren to Jack years ago. He has my piece of eight. I command a ship but I command no laws anymore. However, I could give that ship to you," he said looking at Elizabeth with determination. "As a wedding gift."

"A what?" asked Elizabeth.

"A what?" repeated Jack.

"Look, you own Feng's necklace. You killed him and thus it is yours now to do as you wish with it. But you have no ship. You have nothing. But with the necklace and a ship … with the necklace and as a pirate captain you would have to be allowed to sit with the Brethren and speak and vote."

"She is a woman," Jack reminded his father.

"I noticed," muttered Teague, rolling his eyes.

"But marry Jack? Why is that necessary? I see no good in it."

"Me neither," added Jack helpfully.

"I could give you my ship tomorrow and no one would obey you. You are not one of us. You carry a sword and dress in men's breeches but you are still a governor's daughter," Elizabeth was about to protest but Teague held up his hand. "You'll never be one of us. But if you are wed, with a blood bond between you and Jack, then you become part of my family. Elizabeth Sparrow, a true pirate. They'll follow you then. They will have no choice."

Elizabeth had wanted to become a pirate all of her life. She had spent countless hours dreaming of adventures, the ocean and treasure. Now she was being asked to turn into an authentic pirate. No, a pirate captain.

And all she could do was stare at Teague Sparrow.

Jack cleared his throat and she glanced away, staring at her hands instead.

"If I may intervene, that is a gross oversimplification," Jack pointed out. "The moment she steps into the Brethren's meeting chambers they are going to kick her out. Or kill her. Or both."

"Pedro de Mendoza will rally behind her. As will you. And Christophe."

"You've talked this through with them?" Jack asked with open surprise. "They said yes?"

"Demanding times require demanding solutions."

"Yes, but marry her?!"

The way Jack spoke one would have thought he had never proposed to her just a few months before aboard the Pearl. Of course, he had been drunk at the time and Elizabeth was quite sure he had not meant one bit of it. The scoundrel. But it was not like he had not said it.

"I don't think anyone intends for you to have a litter of children and earn an honest living as a family man," Elizabeth muttered. "It's a charade."

"It's a damn real charade Miss Swann," Jack said as he got up and started walking around the table, pacing nervously. "They won't just pretend we are married. They'll marry us. Wedding. A real wedding."

"Yes, an authentic wedding," Teague said with a firm nod.

"I think I'll pass. I'd rather marry the kraken," Jack muttered angrily.

"Jack, be reasonable," said Teague Sparrow.

"She won't do it either."

Of course. It was not like they were on friendly terms. It was only the presence of Mr.Gibbs that had stopped them from tearing each other apart. Jack was still nursing a grudge against her and Elizabeth was still furious at him. Specially after Will had been traded over to Beckett in exchange for Hector Barbossa. But they had needed him Jack had said. Curse Jack.

"I'll do it," Elizabeth said and as both men looked at her she held her head up defiantly. "Will you?"

Jack's eyes narrowed but he nodded.

"I'll do it," he muttered. "But this better work. This better bloody work."

_Author's note: I hope you like the beginning. Not sure how long this one will be. I apologize in advance, updates will be slow to come.  
_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

_Author's note: These character's do not belong to me. They are just for fun. This story is set during AWE. It's all mostly my imagination (you should really consider this story a AU) but there are some spoiler bits. Be warned. Also, after this chapter my updates should be slower than usual. Those who know me are probably aware I usually update fairly quickly but real life is rather busy for me at this time. Still, I hope to finish this before AWE comes out in movie theatres this summer.  
_

"You must be the worst matchmaker in the history of mankind," Jack muttered as he grabbed a handful of grapes and plopped them into his mouth. "You do realize that woman hates me and tried to kill me?"

"Is there a woman who _doesn't_ hate you and wishes to kill you?" Teague asked.

"Yes ... no ... but this one's different. This one is devious. I spend most of my time with my back to the wall just so she won't try to stab me and finish the job."

"You are exaggerating."

Was he? Well, yes. Jack was one giant, bombastic exaggeration. But he was and he wasn't. He was truly, honestly afraid of Miss Elizabeth Swann. Every time he saw her he felt an abrupt desire to run in the opposite direction. The fact that he also felt compelled to run towards her only made matters even worse.

She was smart and brave and very, very pretty. But she was a liar. A ruthless, selfish, vain pirate. Which he enjoyed. But the same way he always kept one eye on Barbossa, he always kept a good eye on Miss Swann. She was bad for his health. He'd seen what women could do to men and one Davy Jones was living testament of the dangers wrought by a pretty girl.

Besides, he hadn't forgiven Elizabeth yet. Not by half.

"It will be a very uncomfortable situation."

"We need her. Besides, this way she'll be safe with you."

"Will I be safe with her is the question?" Jack said with a sigh as he stared a the grape he was holding between his thumb and his index finger. "I did perhaps, entirely by accident and with no ill-intent, loose her beloved to enemy hands. If he stays alive and we rescue him, he'll repay me with a sword to the belly for having married his bonny lass. If he has perished, then she'll have my head on a platter. Either way, it's a very funny situation."

"Stop your whining. It was about time you married. "

Jack looked at his father, one petulant eyebrow raised.

"What? Is it a crime to want to have a grandchild?"

"If I ever have a child it will most definitely not be with Miss Swann. I'd rather be swallowed by the kraken again."

"Well, no one says you have to bed her. Just pretend you are a real, happy couple when you meet with the Brethren."

Jack let out a stifled groan. Actually, he did want to bed her. That was part of the whole bloody problem.

- # -

As Elizabeth brushed her hair and looked at herself in the small mirror she couldn't help the sudden wave of sadness that hit her. She thought about Will. About her real wedding and not this unexpected sham, engineered and pieced together in the span of a few hours. She was getting married that night and this was definitely not how she had pictured her wedding to be all those months ago, planning and overflowing with excitement at the idea of becoming a bride.

Pressing her lips together Elizabeth proceeded to straighten her clothes. She wore a simple shirt, dark breeches. No wedding dress for her. It was better this way.

There was a knock at the door and she opened it, Teague Sparrow giving her a smile.

"They're all gathered. Are you ready?"

"Yes," she said. "I'm ready."

He gave her his arm to hold and she did. Elizabeth thought about her own father. She did not want to imagine what he might say when he discovered his only daughter was now not only a fugitive, but a pirate. Not only that: a member of the Brethren.

Elizabeth sighed and walked with sure steps until they reached the entrance to Jack's quarters. An old man she had only seen before from afar, one of the Brethren she supposed, opened the door a crack and let them in.

Barbossa, Jack, and a young fellow with curly blonde hair all looked at her.

She stared at Jack, surprised, for he was wearing a fancy red coat and had tied his hair back with a piece of ribbon.

"The old man insisted," he muttered awkwardly and when she didn't respond he began speaking, pointing towards the blonde man and then motioning towards the old fellow who had opened the door. "Elizabeth, Cristophe. Cristophe, Elizabeth. Elizabeth, Mendoza. Mendoza, Elizabeth. Well, that settles the introductions. Shall we get on with the … ah… thingy?"

"Well, stand next to the lady then," Barbossa said with a tired nod of his head. "I can't very well marry you if you are sitting in opposite corners of the room."

"_He's_ going to marry us?" Elizabeth asked in shock.

"It's not like we have a priest stored down in the cellars," Jack pointed out. "And Barbossa was in fact, for a brief and albeit convoluted period of time, a seminarist."

"What?"

"Forget it. Look, he can perform the ceremony, that's all that we need," Jack said hurriedly. "We can't linger. De Groot might try to intervene."

Elizabeth had no idea what Jack was talking about but it was clear by the glances she was getting from the wedding witnesses that this was important and she wouldn't have much choice in the matter.

"Fine."

"Exactly," Jack glanced at Barbossa. "Well, say the words and all the rest."

"Alright. Do you Elizabeth Swann, take Jack Sparrow to be your husband?"

"I do."

"Do you, Jack Sparrow, take Elizabeth Swann to be your wife?"

"I do."

"Magnificent. Can I have the knife?"

"Knife?" Elizabeth repeated.

"It's a pirate ceremony missy," Barbossa said as he took a slim dagger from the hands of the blonde man. "And so we need some blood. Give me your hand."

"I will not!"

"It's part of the ceremony."  
"Then let him go first!"

Barbossa frowned and looked at Jack.

"Jack?"

"Oh for …," Jack mumbled something else but he extended his hand.

Barbossa slashed at the palm and Jack winced but it was quick and there seemed to be no major damage. As Jack stared at her Elizabeth relented and let Barbossa take her hand. He made a quick cut and she gasped.

"Now hold hands."

They did. Uncomfortably, lacing their fingers clumsily, but they did.

"Blood of her blood, blood of his blood," Barbossa intoned. "Kiss your bride."

Jack leaned down and planted a quick, chaste kiss on her lips. As soon as it was over she darted her head away, holding her injured hand against her chest and wondering if the wound would leave a scar behind.

"Congratulations," said Barbossa placing a hand on Jack's shoulder and giving her a knowing wink. "It was a lovely wedding."

"Yes, the only thing missing is the cake," Jack said in mock joviality.

"Congratulations son," Teague hugged Jack and then turned towards Elizabeth. "Congratulations Elizabeth."

"Thank you."

There was an uncomfortable, dark silence as the bride and groom looked at each other with serious, cold faces.

"Well, your witnesses are tired Jack and we do have to face the Brethren tomorrow morning. I think it's best we take our leave. Goodnight Miss. Son."

Teague bowed slightly as though Elizabeth were still a fine lady at her father's house. The other men also bowed their heads respectfully. Except for Barbossa. He just gave them a merry, crooked smile and closed the door when he exited.

_Author's note: Like it? Love it? Hate it? Did I make a mistake? Let me know. I have no beta and thus I may make some mistakes. Also, I do appreciate any feedback. _


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Author's note:_ _I do not own these characters. This is just for fun. Somebody's asked me what the title means. It's French and literally translates into 'nobility obliges'. In more detail: n. Benevolent, honorable behavior considered to be the responsibility of persons of high birth or rank.  
_

"Well," Jack said grabbing a bottle of rum that had been left behind, it seemed, for them to open. "A drink?"

Elizabeth did not reply. Instead she started walking around the room, apparently looking for something.

"No? You want to sleep? You can take the right side. I'll take the left."

"I need a handkerchief for my hand," she said flatly.

Jack blinked twice, then fumbling found a proper white square of cloth tucked away neatly inside a pocket. His father's doing again, just like the coat. Jack gave it to her and she began to try and tie it around her wounded hand with clumsy results.

"Ah, let me," he said trying to help her, trying to be nice and offer his assistance.

Elizabeth pulled her hand away immediately.

"Don't touch me."

"Elizabeth, I think that hardly constitutes touching."

Jack tied a quick knot, then clasped his hands behind his back and took a step away from her. She stared at her bandaged hand with a very sad expression. Then she glanced up at him.

Jack looked aside and hurriedly poured himself a glass of rum.

"You know, we could get incredibly, uproariously drunk and have some singing, aye? Like on that island? Only this time you don't get to burn my rum."

"Rum?!"

"Not a drinking woman," he muttered. "Really, you need to develop a sense of humour."

"Sense of humour. Of course. You know Jack, the worst part of this is not that you've put Will's life in danger. The worst part is that you don't even seem to care."

"He's not my fiancée," Jack said simply. "And he did agree to it, you know."

"You said it was a rouse!"

"It was a rouse. It's not my fault Sao-Feng double-roused us. And Will could have a… ah… you know, ran faster … or something."

"You traded him for Barbossa! Barbossa! Whom you refer to as a filthy, lice, infested, piece of …"

"But we did need Barbossa," Jack reminded her.

"Yes, for the Brethren's council and then the Brethren doesn't do a thing for us."

"He also had the pendant."

"The what?"

"What?"

"You said something."

"Not at all."

"You said something about a pendant."

Elizabeth took a step towards him and Jack took a step back, trying to smile cheerfully.

"What pendant?"

"Look," Jack began, quickly having a sip of his rum. "To be honest you should talk about that with my father. He and his friends are the ones that know about all those tall tales and such."

"What pendant?"

"Lizbeth, beloved wife, I'm getting a headache."

"Jack Sparrow you will tell me what is going on or I … I will …"

He turned his back towards her, trying to ignore that shrill, annoying voice.

"Kill me?" he suggested helpfully. "No. We've already done _that_."

"Tell me. You owe me!"

"I owe you?" Jack spun around quickly and now his hand fell on the hilt of his sword, gripping it furiously. "I? How about you. You owe me your life thricefold."

"We got you back from Davy Jones' Locker."

"But of course. That makes it perfectly square. Bygones be bygones and all that."

"You lost Will. Twice!"

"And I'll get him back!"

Elizabeth didn't have a mordant reply. Instead she pulled a chair, sat down and poured herself some rum. She threw her head back and drank the whole glass in one big gulp. Then she proceeded to stare at him.

Jack had never met a more difficult, pigheaded woman in his entire life. But as she sat there, drumming her elegant fingers, Jack couldn't help the smile that was starting to spread across his face. Because he liked Lizzie. He really did like her even when, maybe because, she pushed him so hard.

Jack coughed in an attempt to get rid of that damn smile and pulled a chair for himself.

"Look, my father knows the story better. But it's Calypso's pendant."

"Calypso?"

"Sea-witch, sea-deity, sea-nymph, take your pick. Either way, Tia had it but she gave it to Barbossa. The pendant can not be taken. It can only be given willingly. So you can't just ransack a corpse or force some fellow at gun point to hand it over and assorted etceteras. I needed to get Barbossa back in one piece to get the pendant."

"Why would Tia give Barbossa this pendant?"

"Probably so I or someone else wouldn't shoot him," Jack muttered. "It insured the old goat's safety."

"She wanted to keep him safe?"

"We've all got our debts and alliances. Plus, they have a history."

"Tia Dalma and Hector Barbossa?" Elizabeth said with a light chuckle. "A romance?"

Jack was going to correct her and indicate that Tia might be wanting a romance with someone but it was most likely William Turner. The shabby mongrel. Considering that right about now Tia and William were alone, probably in close proximity aboard an enemy vessel made Jack rethink his words carefully. No sense in stirring the green monster for it would earn him some harsh comments from Elizabeth.

"She does have an interest in pirates. But no. I said a history."

"I thought she had a history with you."

"Well," Jack muttered. "Somebody's been gossiping."

"Oh, Gibbs told me."

"Trusty old Gibbs."

Jack refilled Elizabeth's glass and she glanced up at him curiously.

"So what does the pendant do?"

Jack scratched his head, happy to get off the topic of his love life since it often garnered him some frightful slaps but reluctant to head into the whole Calypso mess.

"I think that really is for my father to tell and since he'll be here in the morning bright and early to take us to the Brethren's council chambers, we should probably wait until then."

She nodded. They both nursed their glasses and sat in silence. Suddenly, Elizabeth extended her hand and brushed his wrist very lightly.

"I'm sorry," she said. " For everything."

Jack had told himself that if she ever apologized he would laugh a hearty laugh and tell Miss Swann words were not enough. Oddly, he had forgotten this vow. Instead Jack just held her hand.

"I'm sorry too."

Elizabeth smiled. Jack thought it was incredibly stupid of him to actually be heartened by that meaningless gesture. But she hadn't smiled in what seemed to be forever and he found himself grinning back happily.

As they smiled at each other there was an unbidden question in their silence. But then Elizabeth ducked her head very primly and her hand left his.

_Author's note: hate it? love it? any mistakes? next update should be next week. cheers._

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4  
by Labyrinths  
**

_Author's note:_ _I do not own these characters. This is just for fun. This story is J/E friendly and may contain some spoilers, wild speculations, etc._**  
**

Elizabeth woke up to discover a warm body pressed against her, an arm carelessly draped around her waist. Alarmed, she sat up and bolted out of bed. But Jack Sparrow simply grunted something and rolled his back towards her.

'_Now, now Elizabeth'_, said a little voice inside her head, _'nothing is amiss. The man is dead drunk and fast asleep. Just like on the island and just like on the island your honour is quite safe. Although then again, he does look rather handsome like this, doesn't he?'_

Indeed, he looked handsome. This was Jack Sparrow with his defences down, without his mask and it made him most attractive.

Elizabeth shook her head, shook herself free of any silly notions and wondered if perhaps she might get hold of a brush, some soap, a clean set of clothes. Her wedding outfit was rumpled from going to bed in it.

She eyed the red coat that Jack had left dangling from the back of a chair and ran her hands down the smooth fabric.

A knock at the door made her jump a little but then she heard Teague's voice.

"Are you up yet?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said letting him in quickly.

Teague walked in smiling broadly and rubbed his hands. "One fine morning it is Mrs. Sparrow. Is Jack awake? Jack! Get up you lout!"

"Oh, bugger off," muttered Jack from the bed.

"Will we be speaking to the Brethren today?" Elizabeth asked.

"Will we indeed. It should be an interesting meeting."

"I can be ready in a minute," Elizabeth said, quickly scanning the room for her boots.

"No rush. Sit down. Have you had breakfast yet? No? Have breakfast. We have time."

"If we do have the time sir I would like to know more about Calypso's medallion."

Teague looked towards Jack who was shuffling from underneath the covers and grumbling some obscenities.

"Then Jack's told you?"

"Very little."

"She kept pestering me about the whole thing last night," Jack said, slumping on to a chair. "You may not believe the tenacity of the woman. She tried to get me drunk so I would speak. I think she might have tried to have her way with me too."

"Jack!" she yelled mortified.

That was an absurd lie but nevertheless she blushed while Teague chuckled and Jack seemed very merry. The nerve! What a thing to say! In front of his father too. Why if Elizabeth's father ever heard any bawdy talk like that he would be positively, utterly ... then again Mr.Swann would probably faint at the first mention of Jack Sparrow as her husband, never mind the bawdy talk.

"What?" asked Jack and then he yawned. "Did you say breakfast?"

"Forget about breakfast," Elizabeth interrupted him. "What about the medallion."

"To tell you about the medallion first I would have to tell you about Calypso," Teague said. "She was a goddess who lived upon an archipelago and had power over the sea. Once she took a mortal man as a lover. From this union she had a mortal daughter who was very beautiful and full of grace. All men that laid eyes on her fell in love with Calypso's daughter. Which is not strange if you consider she was the child of a goddess. But then one day there came a pirate who fell in love with Calypso's daughter. His name was Davy Jones."

"Davy Jones? You mean the Davy Jones?" Elizabeth asked trying to picture the horrid squid-like creature and the beautiful young woman.

"Yes. Don't be surprised. Davy wasn't always unpleasant to look at and he must have had some wit and charm for Calypso's daughter fell in love with him. She asked her mother to bestow favours upon her lover and Calypso granted him a ship that could sail through any storm. And Calypso's daughter gave Davy a little music box and she wore a matching locket with his name inscribed with it so that she would not forget him and he would not forget her. Davy was very happy. But Calypso's daughter had the sea in her veins and thus she was changing and moody and soon her affections had receded like the tide. She abandoned Davy in favour of someone else."

Upon hearing that part Elizabeth bit her lip. She thought of William Turner and then she shook her head because there was no point of comparison between that story and her own life.

'_What about Norrington then?' _said a little voice inside her head.

But she had never loved Norrington. She had always loved Will.

'_And yet how easily you married another man.'_

To save Will she told herself. To save him.

'_But you didn't even hesitate and then you do think Jack is so interesting. So intriguing.' _

She tried to concentrate on Teague. This was not the time to be wondering about stupid things like Jack and Will and intriguing and … that. Perhaps later she might ponder that.

"Davy was heartbroken. In a fit of madness he kidnapped Calypso's daughter and took her inland where her mother would not be able to aid her. When Calypso called to her daughter and could not find her she was enraged. The seas turned violent. Storms lashed against ships. She attacked pirates viciously for it had been a pirate that had kidnapped her daughter and she now hated them immensely. Then a group of pirates decided to intervene."

"They gathered at Shipwreck Cove led by Bartholomew Roberts and Richard Newcastle. Newcastle had spent some time in Africa and in his travels he had met some shaman or magician and saved his life. The shaman now traveled with Newcastle wherever he went, offering guidance and protection. Thus it was with the shaman's help that they were able to find Davy Jones and headed towards the place where the sailor kept Calypso's daughter prisoner."

"They engaged in a wild and bloody skirmish but in the end they managed to capture Jones and sailed to Calypso's home. When they arrived they told Calypso 'Look, we have brought Jones. Now make the seas grow calm and we can be at peace again.' But Calypso was suspicious and she asked about the whereabouts of her daughter. Newcastle said 'You shall have your daughter but first dispel your magic. Haven't we brought Jones here?' So Calypso made the seas grow calm once more and they were safe for any pirate to sail."

"But then the men, for they were pirates after all, revealed their true intentions. They had not meant to placate the goddess but to destroy her. The shaman wove some powerful magic that would make Calypso fall into a deep, eternal slumber and she would never be able to trouble the pirates again. But before the spell finished binding her Calypso cast a terrible curse."

"To Davy she said that he was condemned to sails the seas for all eternity and his wicked heart would torment him every single day. To the pirates she said: 'There will come the day when all your kind shall perish and you will all be swallowed by the sea. Your bones will litter the ocean floor until there is not a single one of you left.' That was her curse and as soon as she had finished speaking she fell into a deep sleep."

"The pirates took Calypso's body and buried it in a secret location. That is the end of Calypso's story."

"But what happened to Calypso's daughter? What did the pirates do to her?"

"She died in the skirmish with Davy Jones when they sought to capture him."

"And the locket? What does it do?"

"It has a magic of its own. It can awaken Calypso."

"But you said she was buried."

"Yes. She lays buried and asleep."

Elizabeth looked at Jack, then at Teague and the truth dawned at her.

"That's what you want to do? You want to wake her up?"

"Davy Jones has become a formidable enemy. We must fight fire with fire. Or rather water with water?" Teague wondered.

"You imprisoned her. Won't she be a little angry?"

"Maybe. But we've lost so many ships to Lord Beckett's fleet. He advances towards us, relentless."

"But this … then your plan involves releasing Calypso and hoping she will side with you against Beckett and Jones?"

"It's a grand plan isn't it?" Jack said with a wink.

"I'd say so," Elizabeth replied sarcastically.

"We think we can control Calypso. With the medallion," Teague said.

"If you believe it's too dangerous we understand. You can stay here. Safe and sound on dry land," Jack pointed happily.

"Of course not! We are going to find Calypso and we are going together," Elizabeth said. "We'll speak before the Brethren and they'll let us do it, won't they?"

"We'll see," Teague said.

"You'll have to persuade them," Jack added.

Elizabeth glared at him. The way Jack pronounced that word it sounded almost obscene. She crossed her arms and looked away from that infuriating man.

_Author's note: Mistakes? Comments? Constructive criticism? All are welcome. Except hate mail. If J/E are not your cup of tea I understand but I really don't like getting hate mail. You wouldn't want me badmouthing Norrie or Will, right? And these are fictional characters so then. Right. Keep it polite folks as I have received some hate mail recently. Adios. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**by Labyrinths **

_Author's Note: These characters do not belong to me. Just for fun.  
_

Elizabeth walked into the meeting chambers of the Brethren. A place where no woman had ever set foot. She walked in, flanked by Jack and Teague, like a Queen walks into a conquered kingdom. Her head was up high and her back perfectly straight. It was necessary. They would not tolerate a weakling, a girl. She was a woman and a pirate. She was of the Brethren.

The chamber was large with several long, narrow windows allowing some much needed light into the cavernous meeting hall. In the centre of the room there was a massive oak table surrounded with some uncharacteristically plush chairs more fit for noblemen than the dirty pirates assembled there.

As for the pirates themselves they constituted an eclectic group of some four dozen or more men. A few of them sat at the table while the more sizable portion of the lot had to stand around. Jack had said that the men sitting at the table were all Brethren while the crew members, who were not allowed to sit, could stand and listen to the discussion.

She saw Gibbs and Barbossa and recognized her other two wedding guests who smiled at her, Barbossa's grin was a toothy malicious smirk, but the rest of the pirates stared at her harshly.

They all went quiet for one long painful moment. Then a flurry of words exploded, they turned to one another and began talking, yelling, whispering.

A tall man who sat at the end of the Brethren's meeting table stood up and pointed at her.

"What is the meaning of this? She can not be here."

"Elizabeth is Jack's true wife and the captain of the _Sea Witch_. Sao Feng fell under her sword and she now carries his insignia. She is, by all rights, a member of the Brethren," Teague said.

"That is a vile lie."

"It is not. Does she not wear the necklace around her neck? And her wedding was witnessed by three members of the Brethren last night."

"This is an outrage! You moronic, son of ..."

"Watch your language De Groot," Jack said. "You don't want to hurt the lady's sensible heart."

"Are we to take this clown seriously?" De Groot yelled, each word coming out his mouth louder than the one before. "This is a joke. This is a lie. This is a vile scheme to force us into war with the East India Company. I say we kill them and offer Cutler Beckett their heads on a plate!"

"No blood can be spilled at Shipwreck Cove," Teague reminded him.

"Fine. We'll just hang them. Who is with me?"

"I do love an old-fashioned hanging," Barbossa said. His monkey let out a high-pitched screech, seeming to echo his feelings.

"Barbossa, you are on our side," Jack reminded him helpfully.

"Sorry. I forgot," Barbossa said with a smile.

"We have here an authentic captain, an authentic pirate and authentic member of the Brethren. Do not dare to interfere. Take a seat Elizabeth," Teague said as he walked forward and pulled a chair for her.

"Authentic? I'd say not. That woman is no more a pirate than a Tortuga whore is a lady. And this so called marriage is a deception. Why, look at them. It is obvious the woman can not stand this weasel!"

Jack gave De Groot an innocent look.

"I assure you kind sires as amazing as the idea might be that a highly sought out man as myself might choose the shackles of marriage over the delightful freedom of bachelorhood, the dear Mrs.Sparrow is a highly convincing woman who has already, on one memorable occasion, shackled me in other manners and proven that she gets what she wants, who she wants, when she wants. Thus that is the perfectly rational explanation of what seems at first glance a most baffling event."

"I do not believe you. I think your father has put you up to this in attempt to sway our votes."

"That is insulting," Jack turned to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, tell them it is insulting."

"Then am I to believe this is a love match?" De Groot asked sarcastically.

"It is," Jack said slowly as if searching for the right words, "a perfect match."

Jack looked at Elizabeth with an intensity she had not witnessed before. Before Elizabeth realized what he was up to Jack pressed his lips against hers. A fervent, ardent kiss. She closed her eyes but did not kiss him, not really. However, she felt her traitorous fingers sneaking into his hair and then she was kissing him back and it was no longer some subterfuge that Jack had fabricated. There was some truth beneath the surface, some hidden ardour.

When it was over Elizabeth brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and felt herself blush. It was the most mortifying situation. All the men were now staring at them, De Groot seemed ready to explode and Jack … well Jack was just smiling happily as thought this were the most natural thing in the world.

"Oh, father, let them be," a voice said. "If that isn't a real match then what is? She's a captain and she's his wife. Let her sit."

The owner of the voice had moved towards De Groot. He was a tall, blond man with a handsome face and a leisurely, arrogant gait. The young man tipped his hat towards Elizabeth and smiled.

"This does not concern you," muttered the older De Groot.

"Father, please. I think she has a right to speak before us today and take her seat among the Brethren. After all, she is wearing Sao Feng's necklace."

De Groot stared at his son, then back at Jack and Elizabeth. Finally he seemed to relent and pulled back, his fierce expression smoothed away just a little.

"Very well. Let the wench take her place."

Jack grabbed her hand and led her towards the table.

_Author's Note: Somebody asked me if the story I told about Calypso was based on authentic mythology. It is not, but neither is the Calypso as presented in the Disney script drafts. Calypso was a nymph who was Odysseus lover. She had a child or children with him and died of grief when he left her (depending on what version you read)._ _She differs from the Disney version in most if not all regards. My version of Calypso is actually based on the Persephone/Demeter myth. _

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6  
**

**by Labyrinths **

_Author's Note: These characters do not belong to me. Just for fun._

"Yes these two men will insist summoning Calypso is the answer to our problems. The answer to our problems? I say not. I say we strike a deal. We try to negotiate with Cutler Beckett and the East India Trading Company," the older De Groot said.

"La Quemada is under control of the East India Trading Company. All free ports in the Caribbean they are falling," said another pirate. "But there are other waters. We should seek other waters."

Elizabeth Swann had been listening to the incessant bickering of the men for what seemed hours. She watched Jack as he slumped back in his seat, bored and toying with his hat. Barbossa sat with the monkey curled upon his shoulder. The rest of the pirates looked as if they were about to fall asleep.

Jack had said she should let him do the speaking. Jack had said it was better this way or she might upset the men. When voting time comes, Jack had said, just raise your hand. But voting time seemed far off and De Groot's irritating rants were getting to Elizabeth. She'd had enough.

"Run? Strike a deal? Are these your great ideas?" Elizabeth asked.

All eyes focused on her. Jack seemed suddenly alert as he scrambled to sit up straight and placed a hand upon hers.

"Elizabeth," he whispered.

She shoved his hand off.

"What would her highness insist we do?" asked De Groot.

"Fight. Take our ships, take our men and fight. Yes, summon Calypso. Do whatever is needed, gather whatever weapons are necessary to fight them. Or Cutler Beckett will hang us all."

"See I think differently. I think Cutler Beckett is a reasonable man. A man willing to negotiate. A man who can appreciate a good arrangement. We could strike a deal. Divide some profits, come up with some boundaries. Talk business talk with him."

"Cutler Beckett's ambition knows no limits. He seeks to own the world."

"What is the problem as long as we get to own a piece of the world with him?"

"What about him owning you?" Elizabeth asked staring squarely at De Groot's face. "Have you no love for freedom? Or do you all wish to be Cutler Beckett's lap dogs, jumping when he asks you to jump and fetching a ball when he throws it? Is that what you are? The mighty Pirates of the Caribbean."

Grunts and whispers spread throughout the room as the men elbowed each other and turned to speak to the ones around them.

"Fine words from a girl who knows scant little about piracy."

"I think I know enough. You'll never be able to chart your own course if you allow Beckett to control the seas. Besides, do you think Cutler Beckett is really going to negotiate with you?"

"Why not? I say we just give Beckett a present as a gestue of good will. Mainly Jack Sparrow tied and gagged. We can throw in the girl for free. I'm sure he can find some use for her," De Groot said, smiling. "That should sweeten the British twit up."

"Now wait a minute mate," Jack said tilting his chair back. "Cutler Beckett is a double-crossing fiend and I can't help agree with my wife's assesment of the situation and poinpoint that at this time and moment the best course of action is probably that old goddess we know and cherish."

"Why of course Jack. Calypso. I wonder why I didn't think about it first?" De Groot said smacking his forehead in mockery. "That's right. Because it was us that imprisoned the old sea-witch. She hates us."

"Not as much as she hates Davy Jones," Jack reminded him.

"Well of course if you want to go fetch the sea-hag and be drowned by her in the process ..."

"Yes, I do," Jack said firmly. "It would have to be me anyway, wouldn't it? The Pearl's the fastest ship around. Beckett's fleet is moving towards Shipwreck Cove but I can head to the Gulkan Archipielagos and return in time before he arrives. With Calypso. You could send me."

"Too bad we don't trust you. The whole Sparrow clan tends to be unreliable. Always shifting alliances. Didn't you once work for Beckett? Who's to say you won't change colours again dear Jack."

"Then trust me," said Elizabeth. "I'll get Calypso. I'll do whatever is necessary."

"I think not."

"It doesn't matter what you think. What matters is what they think," Elizabeth said stubornly. "Let the Brehtren take a vote."

"You will not tell me ..."

"Yes she will," said Jack, rising slowly and giving Elizabeth a wide grin. "Now let us have a show of hands. Are we in for a fight or not? Yay or nay. Right this instant."

"Yay," came Barbossa's voice.

"Yes," Elizabeth said.

"Yes," shot out another pirate.

Another hand and then another. De Groot and three of his croonies watched in mute anger as they were outnumbered.

"I think that settles it," Jack said.

"I think it does," De Groot muttered eyeing both Jack and Elizabeth with careful, cold intent. "Then you shall find Calypso and bring her to us. I suppose you shall need the map."

A ripple of voices broke out once more, everyone crying and talking excitedly. Elizabeth leaned towards Jack.

"What map?"

"Well, you didn't think there wouldn't be a map, did you? To get from point A to point B one does need a map."

"Why would you need a map if you have your compass?"

"Because darling Lizzie-love, it's never that easy. There will be traps. Secrets. Derring-dos and such. The usual ho-hum pirate stuff."

"Lizzie-love?" Elizabeth asked raising a skeptical eyebrow. "May I remind you my name is ..."

"Tut, tut. I think De Groot is watching us. Quick, pretend you want to hug me," he replied wiggling his eyebrowns in turn.

"Oh, shut up," muttered Elizabeth.

_Author's Note: Like it? Hate it? _


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**by Labyrinths **

_Author's Note: These characters do not belong to me. Just for fun._

When she was a child Elizabeth Swann had enjoyed sneaking around her father's house and listening to all kinds of educational conversations. When she was in front of them the servants would grow quiet or the adults would turn condescending but in the shadows Elizabeth learnt how to listen and pay close attention.

Eavesdropping they might have called it. Keeping watch on her best interests she defined it. And for now her best interests lay with Jack Sparrow. Elizabeth was determined to follow the man around like his shadow for fear the disloyal pig might betray her.

Then again she was also rather good at the whole betraying business.

_'Peas in a Pod,' _she thought but then shook her head, dismissing the thought.

No. She was just being cautious. Jack had slipped away past midnight thinking she would not be awake at that late time of the night. But as soon he stirred she was awake and if he had crawled out of the room oh so carefully, oh so silently, there had to be a reason for it.

Elizabeth was determined to find out the reason. She had followed Jack's rambling steps with the well-practiced ease of a professional spy until Jack had gone into a room at the end of a narrow hallway. Elizabeth had waited a prudent time until, when she realized no one was roaming the hallway, she crept next to the door, pressing her ear against it.

She heard voices and listened attentively. At first she could make out little but eventually she was able to hear some muffled phrases.

"Then, is it understood?" Teague asked.

"More than understood. Perfectly understood," Jack said.

"I hope so. You do have a soft spot for women."

"Father. Stop. What do I look like? Some teenage idiot that can't keep his mouth shut? I do not trust her and she is not _that_ pretty."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

There was a pause and then Teague Sparrow spoke again.

"But you do trust her. Don't you?"

"Oh father," Jack said and his voice was different. "Don't ask me that."

It was his voice, the quick inflexion of it, which made Elizabeth step back and walk away. She moved quickly, without paying much attention to where she was headed and such was her haste that she did not see a young blond man walking down the hallway and stumbled into him.

"I'm sorry," said the man, steadying her. "Are you alright?"

Elizabeth glanced up at him and frowned. Johannes 'Jan' De Groot, Hiram De Groot's handsome son, was standing before her.

"Thank you," she said.

"It is my pleasure. However, you should be more careful Mrs. Sparrow. In fact I dare say you should not be walking around unescorted. There is many a pirate that does not consider you a friend in this place."

"You mean your father?"

"I mean in general. You've caused quite an uproar."

"It was not my intention," Elizabeth said, looking squarely ahead and brushing past the young man.

But he followed her.

"I suppose not. But what's done is done and you've brought on yourself more than one enemy," when she glanced at him he raised his hands in exaggerated, mock innocence. "I did not mean me. But the point remains it would be best that you remain by your husband's side until we depart for the Gulkan Archipielagos."

"We? Are you and your father coming with us?"

"Oh, no, not my father. But me and some of my men. We discussed it yesterday afternoon."

Last night Jack had gone to have supper with Teague. A family thing. Father and son stuff. Or so he had said. He had not mentioned any meetings with other members of the Brethren. Elizabeth simmered with slowly growing anger. Jan, perhaps sensing this, gave her a polite smile.

"I assure you Mrs.Sparrow I will be pleasant company," he said quickly. "My father is a difficult fellow but he does not mean ill to you or Jack."

"I would have thought otherwise."

"For several generations the Brethren has managed to maintain relative peace among the pirate lords. A golden age for us if you will and now that we see it drawing to an end, well … some men like my father cannot bear to let it go. To see things change. It'll be a different world and a difficult one for us pirates. I think we may become extinct."

Elizabeth nodded thoughtfully. For a moment she tried to picture Jack not as a pirate but as something else and though she tried hard to separate him from his beads and grime and tattoos she could not. The idea of Jack, the damn rascal, filled her with an anxious fluttering. Wary she tried to collect her mind, to concentrate on something else.

"So do not take it personally Mrs. Sparrow. We are all quite rattled," Jan concluded.

"Thank you," she muttered.

"Do you want me to walk you back to your quarters? One can easily get lost at Shipwreck Cove. All those twisting passageways."

"I think I'll walk the wench back."

Elizabeth turned around. Barbossa was leaning against the wall, his monkey perched on his shoulder and a half-eaten apple in his hand. She wondered how long he'd been there and threw him a murderous stare. She definitely did not want to be walking alone with Barbossa but the dirty pirate gave Jan a twisted, yellow smile and Jan taking this as an unspoken cue merely smiled back.

"Very well. A good night to you," Jan said, tipping his hat at Elizabeth and continuing onwards.

Barbossa chewed loudly on his apple and stared at Elizabeth. Elizabeth stared back at him.

"What?!" she asked finally.

"I didn't say anything."

"Whatever dirty thoughts you are thinking …"

"Are mine to keep."

The monkey bobbed its head up and down while Elizabeth crossed her arms. She lifted her chin with well-rehearsed aplomb.

"Although your friend did have a point. You shouldn't be walking by yourself Mrs. Sparrow. There's eager eyes and ears and swords within these walls."

"I'll try to remember it," she replied with as much scorn as she could muster.

_Author's Note: Like it? Hate it?_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8  
**

**by Labyrinths **

_Author's Note: These characters do not belong to me. Just for fun.  
_

"It was just some grumpy old men drinking around a table. You would have hated it."

"Jan is not old."

"No, Jan is not old. Not at all. Which reminds me. What were you doing talking with Jan?"

Elizabeth held her gaze steady, challenging him with her eyes.

"I bumped into him," she said.

"Where?"

"I couldn't sleep. I took a walk"

"No more walks and specially no more bumping into that man."

"So now I'm not allowed at your private dinner get together and I'm not allowed to speak to anyone either?"

"My father thought it best if it was just me and him with De Groot and his buddies. Hiram can't stand you, savvy? We wanted our conversation to proceed as smoothly as possible."

"I am part of the Brethren. Whether you like it or not. And I am allowed at any meeting where you are allowed."

"Lizzie. Love. Sometimes its best to do things with a bit more … ah … diplomacy."

"I'm not diplomatic?"

"Look, we both know Hiram is not exactly pleasant. You walk in there, then words are exchanged. Next thing you know Hiram would have thrown a fit … maybe fired some shots. This way we've got the map and even if he forced his son upon us at least he's sending the _Pearl_ off without an escort. We were afraid he'd want the _Fair-Haired Child _sailing with us."

"The what?"

"The _Fair Haired-Child_. Jan De Groot's ship. If there's something I don't want is Jan De Groot _and_ his bloody ship following me around."

"Why?"

"First of all, because a ship has cannons and cannons make me very, very paranoid. Second of all, the _Fair-Hair Child_ is filled with dozens of sailors that are entirely loyal to that tulip-headed idiot. Finally, he is annoying."

Jack didn't mention that Jan De Groot also happened to be gifted with the ability to use a sword. He was a better swordsman than Jack. Probably even better than damn Barbossa. That coupled with the young man's natural stealth and his ability to shoot the most difficult target all created a very unsettling whole. He did not like Jan De Groot one bit.

_Not to mention the bastard looks like he was carved out of a chunk of marble_, said a mocking little voice inside Jack's head.

"He seems like a very nice man," Elizabeth informed him calmly.

Jack made a face and coughed as though he had suddenly swallowed a lemon.

"And carnivorous plants look pretty until they eat you. No Jan Lizzie. No. No. No," Jack wagged a finger at her as though she were some child who had gobbled too many sweets.

Elizabeth pushed his hand away from her face.

"If you think ..."

"First it's 'he's a nice man'. Then it's he has such 'pretty eyes' and then next thing you know ..."

"You are jealous!" Elizabeth said triumphantly.

"Of course not," Jack said smugly but then he frowned. "Should I be jealous?"

"I cannot believe it! You are such a self-centered, vain fool that when every woman around you is not fawning over you every minute of the day you instantly ..."

"I am self-centered? What about you? You've got to have every man in the whole Caribbean, no wait, in the entire bloody world at your feet or ..."

"Me?! Why, I have never ..."

"Sure. Batting your eyes. Puckering your lips ..."

"Trying to seduce anything with a skirt!"

"Lucky me you're wearing trousers then!"

They glared at each other, both unwilling to pull back. Finally Jack hung his head and let out a sigh.

"Lizzie, I'm sorry," he said.

Elizabeth's face was still as a mask.

"Are you going to tell me what you talked about with De Groot?"

"I'll show you."

Jack rummaged within his pockets and placed three worn, blank pieces of parchment upon the table.

"The map," he said with a small flourish. "Kept by the three most important members of the Brethren. Never to be seen. Until now."

Elizabeth frowned.

"There's nothing on there," she informed him sarcastically.

"No? Really?" Jack pushed the pieces of parchment until they touched each other.

Suddenly lines and swirls of colour bloomed upon the parchment's surface. The outline of a shore appeared, then a river stretching up towards some mountains. Words, meridians and a rose of the winds sprouted from nowhere.

Elizabeth looked up at him in surprise.

"There. That is where we'll find Calypso," Jack said, tapping his finger softly. His hand now shifted running gently along the surface of the map. "And these are the traps."

"When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow."

Elizabeth nodded, a strand of hair falling upon her face. Her interest lay solely in the map and Jack was able to observe her at his leisure. When she as not raging and yelling at him Elizabeth was rather beautiful. He'd met his share of pretty girls before but none that could rope and pull and tug at him with such fierceness. Threatening him for it frightened him to even consider the turbid depths of emotion she might unleash.

But despite this, despite his constant fears of what she was, what she meant; despite all the misgivings Jack always found himself drifting back towards her. Pulled like the tide.

Jack raised a tentative hand, his fingers barely touching her hair as he tried to pull the stubborn, stray lock back in place.

Elizabeth looked up at him immediately tensing and Jack froze. For one moment he thought about running his hands along that beautiful face, the elegant neck and shoulders. He gulped and had the horrid sensation of drowning.

Reason. Cold, practical reason returned and Jack remembered the conversation he'd had with his father.

"Ah now, where was I?" Jack said clasping his hands behind his back. "Tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow we set sail."

For the span of a few seconds Elizabeth seemed utterly confused. Then her composure returned and she was every piece the fine lady, glancing away coldly.

"Good. We've lost enough time already. God knows how Will is faring."

Jack didn't say a thing. He gathered the pieces of the torn map and shoved them back inside his coat.

_Author's Note: Like it? Hate it?_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 **

**by Labyrinths **

_Note: I do not own the characters of this story. Intended only for fun._

A few days at sea seemed now like an eternity. The Pearl might be the fastest ship in those waters but it seemed as slow as a turtle on land to Elizabeth. During the day she counted the minutes and at night she counted stars. There were not enough stars and too many minutes for her weary mind.

She thought about Will and worried for him and worried that the vast expanse of the ocean separating them was growing wider and wider with each day. Which was illogical.

To make things worse every time they had dinner together, Jan, Barbossa, Mr.Gibbs and Jack all sitting around a crowded table, she had the distinctive sensation that Hector Barbossa was laughing at her.

"I think he's hiding something," Elizabeth said, sitting down across from Jack and pouring herself a glass of rum. "I've been watching him."

"Barbossa? It gives me indigestion to watch him."

"Maybe you should pay more attention to him. I'm telling you. He's plotting something."

"So is Jan De Groot. But I suppose you might not have noticed, distracted as you've been by him."

Jan De Groot was charming. He dressed like a prince in silk vests with polished buttons, his hair tied back with a black ribbon. He behaved like an utter gentleman, with polite words and fashionable manners. When he spoke he did so in the most charming and casual manner. It seemed effortless, everything Jan De Groot did, and it was easy to be lulled by his presence.

But it was not for any of these reasons that Elizabeth spoke to Jan at dinner or approached him when he was on deck.

Stray thoughts filled Elizabeth's head. Unsettling thoughts. She thought it best to drown them away with Gibbs stories or Jan's banter.

"I'm not listening," Elizabeth said as she grabbed an apple from a silver platter. Food, maps, scraps of paper and measuring instruments littered the table.

Jack shrugged but instead of a quick, sharp reply he stared at his maps carefully.

"He's in love."

"Who?"

"Bloody Barbossa

"Barbossa? With whom?"

"Who do you think? You got me thinking the other day, when you asked if Tia and Barbossa were," Jack made some complicated hands motions and grimaced. "You know … a thing."

"Lovers," Elizabeth said providing the right word politely.

"That. I think you're half-right … What's the world coming to? Barbossa in love."

Jack scoffed and pushed himself up from his chair. Elizabeth watched him as he paced around the cabin.

"What makes you think he loves her?"

"Just snippets. Things I didn't pay attention to and now seem more important."

"Well, it's not so bad. I mean it's not bad at all. Granted his teeth are …"

"It's not his teeth I'm worried about. You can always trust one thing with Barbossa: he's a selfish old goat who loves money more than he loves himself. But you get a woman in the mixture, you get love … who knows."

"What are you talking about?"

" He might do something stupid."

"You mean to try and get Tia back?"

"Yes."

Elizabeth was quiet. She toyed with the apple.

"She must care for him. If she gave him the medallion. It's rather valuable isn't it?"

"Not necessarily. I think this affection is of the unrequited variety."

"I think that's very romantic."

"You and your notions of romance. The poor idiot does not stand a chance. He'll never be able to even touch an inch of that woman's skin."

"But you said they had a history."

"He saved her brother's life. Long ago."

"She brought him back from the dead," Elizabeth insisted.

Jack looked at her, his face expressionless. "It does not mean she loves him."

The apple seemed to have become the focal point in the room. Elizabeth stared at it, avoiding Jack's gaze.

"Then you think he'd betray us … for her."

"Can't trust a mutineer Lizbeth. Even less a mutineer in love. Can't trust a De Groot either. It seems I'm surrounded by untrustworthy pirates. Which brings us to Mr. William Turner."

She sat bolt upright, her hands clutching the apple.

"What about Will?"

"Call me an idiot Lizzie but I want to make a deal with you. In a few days, when we get to Calypso's island I'll need someone to watch my back. I'll watch yours if you watch mine. No betraying, no double-crossing."

"You think I'd betray you?"

"To save Will? I bloody think you would. So now pay attention," Jack leaned down over her shoulder and Elizabeth felt a shiver run down her spine. She was uncomfortably aware of his breath against her skin as he spoke. "I promised we'd get your whelp back and we will. In one piece, I swear upon my mother's soul. But you'll have to trust me and I'll have to trust you. I need to know I can count on you when we disembark."

Was he being honest? Or was this another trick? And if he was being honest what the hell did that mean? Elizabeth was tongue-tied. She realized her heartbeat was faster than it should be. Wishing him suddenly away she spoke quickly.

"Yes. You can trust me and I can trust you."

"Good," Jack stepped aside and plucked the uneaten apple from her hands. "Maybe now I can get some sleep at nights instead of fearing you'll stab me with a fork."

Elizabeth was getting precious little sleep at nights but it had nothing to do with fears of murder and more with the outline of Jack's body underneath the sheets. Flustered she looked down, hiding her face behind the curtain of her tangled hair.

For God's sake, what was wrong with her? Of all the men, of all the bloody pirates … Jack Sparrow. He was a clown, a lecherous fool, a bumbling drunkard. And she liked him. Dirty, grimy Jack Sparrow.

_You want him_, she thought.

The terrible reality of this notion propelled Elizabeth to jerk her arm in a panic, sending her glass stumbling across the table, the rum spilling all over Jack's charts and maps.

"Ah! Bloody hell!" Jack yelled.

He pulled at his things, grabbed a dirty handkerchief and tried to clean up the mess. Elizabeth, unable to structure a coherent idea just stood like a propped doll, looking at him with wide eyes.

"You want a clean shirt Lizzie?" he asked, pausing to look up at her and her rum-stained clothing.

Elizabeth hoped her face had not reddened, she hoped she did not look like a complete idiot standing there.

"It's fine," she managed to blurt out.

"Let me grab one."

"I said I'm fine!"

Jack narrowed his eyes at her and Elizabeth knew she should lie quickly.

"I've got the most terrible headache," she muttered. "This rum … it's just the most horrible thing I've ever tasted."

She didn't think he believed her. But then Jack smiled cheerfully with his mischievous, good-natured grin.

"I know. Pintel wouldn't know how to pick a good cache of rum if his life depended on it. Serves me well. I ought to have let Gibbs do the picking."

The cabin seemed suddenly too warm. Elizabeth excused herself, rushing out for a breath of fresh air.

_Author's Note: So? What do you think?  
_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**By Labyrinths**

_Note: I do not own the characters of this story. Intended only for fun._

She was drowning. The pull of the waves was too strong and Elizabeth could not fight it. She felt herself sinking, sinking into the darkness.

Suddenly strong arms encircled her. Suddenly strong arms pulled her up. Elizabeth gasped for air and turned to find a strange man holding her, helping her afloat. She had never met him before yet he seemed oddly familiar.

"Meredith! Are you alright?" the man asked.

_Elizabeth_, she thought. _I am Elizabeth_.

But then there was darkness, the taste of salt water and nothing more.

Elizabeth sat up, her heart racing and her mouth dry.

"Calm down, love," Jack muttered. "Just a bad dream, that's all."

Numb with dread she buried her face in Jack's chest and let him pull her close, his arms encircling her. She felt his hands running through her hair, gently smoothing it.

It was very comforting to be with Jack like this. Her tense body relaxed and she sat lulled by his affectionate embrace. That is until she noticed he was no longer just smoothing her hair. One of his hands had moved to trace the outline of her jaw.

"Let go," she said.

"Hmmmm?"

"Let go," she repeated more forcefully.

When Jack did not attempt to move away from her or did not do so quickly enough for Elizabeth's taste, she gave him a strong shove.

Jack seemed surprised. They glared at each other.

"That's not very polite Lizzie," he said, frowning. "I was only trying to help you, you know."

"Help yourself you mean!"

"What?"

"I don't want you touching me so keep your hands to yourself," she said.

"Don't trust me or don't trust yourself? What are you afraid of exactly?"

"I am not afraid of anything. It is just entirely improper for a man and a woman, to be so … physically close … alone. In closed quarters."

"Well, Will Turner's going to have a very sad, sad honeymoon if you follow that train of thought," Jack muttered as he put his hands behind his head and lay back on the bed.

"Don't make fun of me!"

"Really Elizabeth, if I had wanted to seduce you I would have done so already. No need to be acting like I'm so deranged madman who'd violate you at the first chance."

She blushed. He had a point but she was not about to admit it.

"I've read about you. I know about your reputation," Elizabeth said accusingly.

"Really? What have you read?" Jack asked innocently.

"All kinds of things! You behave in numerous disrespectful, dishonest ways with women. Not all of them ladies I might add. So if you think that I am … that kind of woman you are mistaken. Keep a proper distance from me sir and your hands away from me."

"I don't remember you saying that on that little island. Or when you kissed me," he replied nonchalantly. "In fact, I think you were all over me during that kiss."

Elizabeth's mouth fell open. She was incensed by the rude remark. She was also terribly afraid. Had he noticed something? Perhaps a stray look, the wrong word. Suddenly she was afraid the whole crew knew. Everyone aboard the Pearl must know she found Jack … well, attractive.

Curse that man.

Jack turned and propped his chin on his hand.

"I was trying to kill you," she whispered.

"How about you try again?"

Jack Sparrow gave her one of his characteristic lewd looks. Elizabeth thought about slapping that silly smirk off his face. Trying to contain herself she turned around, her back firmly towards Jack and tugged at the bed sheets.

"Good night."

"You know if you are really afraid of my groping fingers you can have the floor," he said.

"Ha!"

"But I don't think you are afraid of me at all. I think you like me."

Elizabeth rolled over, winding up face to face with Jack. She jammed her index finger against his chest.

"I like Barbossa better than I like you, sir."

"Liar. You like me. It kills you to like me but you still like me. You want to stop liking me. You can't stand it but you still do," Jack said inching dangerously close to her until he stopped abruptly. "It's the same for me."

They were both quiet. Elizabeth held her breath. If he moved now, just a little more, his lips would brush against hers. His hands would fall upon her own and down her body.

But Jack did not move. He just stared at her and the look on his face was not one of affection or sensuality. He looked positively terrified.

"I need a drink," Jack said, pushing his way past her and off the bed.

He stumbled around the cabin and moved towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Elizabeth asked in confusion.

"To get a drink of course. Go to sleep," he said simply.

The door slammed behind Jack. Elizabeth curled up in bed, glad to be alone. She buried her face in the pillow and turned. She turned and turned again, the sheets twisting around her legs until she finally jumped out of bed and started pacing around the cabin.

He'd been gone for a long time now. Well, who cared? Maybe he'd stumbled down the stairs towards the bowels of the ship and broken his neck. That would serve him right. The dirty drunkard that he was.

If he had in fact fallen asleep somewhere, intoxicated, then perhaps she should go look for him. Yes. Perhaps she should.

Elizabeth rubbed her hands, nodding her head, then shaking it furiously.

No. She was not going to go after him like some dog following his master. Let him have his stupid rum. Although truth be told she felt like a drink herself.

Elizabeth sighed and sat down at Jack's desk. Just then she noticed the full bottle of rum and the glass sitting on the desk in plain sight.

Why, he didn't need to leave at all the bloody liar.

This thought made Elizabeth furrow her brow. She uncorked the bottle and took a swig.

_Author's Note: Enjoying the story? Leave a note. Your comments feed the author. Next chapter: the arrival at Calypso's island. We're almost mid-way through this story folks.  
_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**by Labyrinths **

_Note: I do not own the characters of this story. Intended only for fun._**  
**

"Here, here and there," Jack said tapping the map. "Now don't be making any mistakes. Very well, get out of here. We have a goddess to find."

The crew members scrambled. Elizabeth was also ready to leave Jack's cabin when she heard his voice loud and clear.

"Not you Lizzie. Wait a minute."

When they were alone Jack closed the cabin door and turned to look at her. She did not enjoy that look. It was as though he was planning something.

"It'll be a very nice slow trek into the jungle, trying to avoid any traps and all. I think you should stay next to Barbossa during it."

"What? Why?"

"Because I want you to talk to him. Find out what's going out in his scheming little brain. Keep an eye on the man."

"Why me?"

"Because I'll be watching Jan."

Elizabeth frowned.

"That's very convenient Jack. I think all things considered I should watch Jan."

"Lizzie, I'm not that stupid," Jack said as he opened the door.

"What is that supposed to mean? Are you implying …"

"Come on darling. Off to the island," Jack said, pushing her forward, his hand splayed down her back. A little too far down.

Elizabeth gasped and turned around.

"Hands to yourself," she whispered.

"Jack, we're ready," yelled Jan De Groot, standing a few feet away from them.

Jack glanced up at the blond young man and nodded, then he turned to Elizabeth.

"Same to you Lizzie," Jack muttered.

Elizabeth followed him quickly across the deck.

- - - - - - - -

"Trouble in paradise?"

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth said.

Barbossa grinned at her. They were walking up a steep trail. The heat was unbearable and Barbossa's presence was not helping her. Elizabeth kept wiping the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand.

"You and your husband."

"We are fine."

"Why aren't you with him?"

Ahead of the group walked Jack and Jan De Groot. Jack was moving his hands animatedly. Probably telling another stupid, rum-garbled story. Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"Because he is a rude imbecile," muttered Elizabeth.

Barbossa chuckled.

"Well said. I think there's still hope for you Miss Swann. Oh, sorry. Mrs. Sparrow."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. For a moment there I thought you were going a little soft. On Jack."

Elizabeth managed to steady her voice so that it came out nonchalant.

"All I want is to save Will. Jack can go to hell for all I care."

She said the words with so much conviction that she almost believed them. Almost.

Barbossa seemed please with this and he grinned broadly.

"That is very good to know."

"What about you?" Elizabeth said quickly, seizing her chance. "What do you want?"

"Why to save the pirate Brehtren, that is all."

"So nothing more?"

"What else could I want?"

"A woman," Elizabeth lowered her voice. "A ship."

Barbossa looked at her and there was the briefest instant in that look when she discerned the raw truth. He did want Tia and the _Pearl_. But then Barbossa laughed it off.

"A devious thing you are Mrs. Sparrow," he said.

Perhaps he might have said more, revealed more but in that same moment Elizabeth realized they had stopped moving. She turned, looking for Jack.

"What's wrong?" she muttered.

She made her way towards Jack and Jan De Groot who were both now standing still and arguing.

"What's wrong? Why aren't we moving?" she asked.

"Because he read the map wrong," Jan said.

"You what?"

"I did not!" Jack said offended. "I will remind you I was making maps when you were still playing with your dolls, you nitwit."

"Don't talk to me like that!" Elizabeth said, offended.

"I was talking to him," Jack replied.

"Really? Then how do you explain that?" Jan said, pointing towards a solid wall of rock blocking their path. There seemed no way around it.

"It's not in the map," Jack said and looking up squinted. "Maybe we can climb it."

"With what? We haven't got the proper tools."

"It's not my problem you don't have an imagination."

Elizabeth closed her eyes in frustration. They had probably spent the last three hours walking in the wrong direction and all because of Jack.

_Inefficient, idiotic, erotic scoundrel, _she thought and then correcting herself. _No strike, the last part out_.

A hand fell at Elizabeth's back.

"Stop trying to touch my ass Jack!" she yelled, snapping her eyes open.

Surprisingly Jack was standing before her, not behind. Elizabeth felt the pressure of a knife against her back.

"Stay still or the lady dies," said a male voice.

"Now wait one second mate," Jack began.

"This is forbidden land. No man is allowed here."

"But we're not just any men. We represent the pirate Brethren, savvy?" Jack said, a glimmer of gold in his smile. "I'm Jack Sparrow, captain of the _Black Pearl _and this here is Jan De Groot captain of the _Faired Haired Child_."

"No man is allowed here. Specially the pirate Brethren."

"Yes, but you see the Brethren is having some trouble and we …"

"No live man may be allowed on these strange and haunted shores."

"Except a man who has died a sad and awful death alone," someone said.

It was Barbossa's voice as he walked towards the place where Jack, Jan and Elizabeth were standing.

"And it is only when that man has returned the key home."

"That then the power of thunder and storm may be restored," Barbossa concluded.

The man that had been standing behind Elizabeth now stepped forward. He was a tall, dark skinned fellow dressed all in crimson. He had a long wooden staff in one hand and a dagger in the other.

"Welcome, Hector Barbossa," said the man. "It is good to see you again."

Elizabeth looked at Barbossa and then back at the stranger.

"It is good to see you too Isingoma."

"How is my sister?"

"Tia is captured aboard an enemy ship. That is why we are here. We need to talk to _him_."

Somehow Elizabeth did not like the sound of that but she had no time to voice any questions. The man in crimson nodded his head and banged his staff against the ground three times.

There was a loud grumbling and suddenly the wall of rock started to move and shift, splitting in two and forming a narrow passage.

"Follow me," Isingoma said.

Barbossa followed the man confidently, then Jan who looked a little less sure of the venture.

Elizabeth felt her hand, seemingly out of free will, seek Jack's. Jack looked at her in surprise but Elizabeth only squeezed his hand a little harder.

"Don't let go of me," she whispered.

"You're afraid?"

"Yes, I'm afraid," she admitted, feeling more angry than embarrassed.

What a shabby pirate she made, cowering so easily. She thought Jack would break out laughing and shove her off. After all, she'd chided him that morning for touching her.

But he did not laugh.

"I won't let you go," he said and then he pointed at the others who were moving through the passageway. "Come on."

_Author's Note: Enjoying the story? Leave a note. Your comments feed the author. Next chapter: meetings and secrets._


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**By Labyrinths**

_Author Hote: These characters do not belong to me. Meant only for fun. _

They passed beneath a large stone arch and into a courtyard. A temple, half-covered by vegetation, lay ahead of them. As they stepped into it Elizabeth saw that the walls were decorated with intricate bas-reliefs featuring dancing women, what appeared to be snakes and a series of aquatic animals including dolphins and sea horses. The most repetitive sea creature pictured inside the temple seemed to be the crab which constantly adorned the lintels and pediments.

As they walked through the lonely galleries and passageways Elizabeth felt nervous. Lonely, shattered statues lay on the floor staring at them with accusing eyes. Bits of mosaics had fallen and shattered from the walls, leaving gaping holes. The temple was like a tomb, sad with neglect.

But it must not have always been like this. Elizabeth could almost picture another time when the temple would have been abuzz with activity. Acolytes would have rushed through those same passageways. Then later, the old gods forsaken, she could imagine the temple more subdued. Only the superstitious sailors and pirates setting foot there, bringing offerings to sway the tides. And then later still she could see the temple gone mute, pirates and sailors alike having deserted it.

She shook her head. She did not like these thoughts.

"Is that really Tia's brother?" Elizabeth asked, needing to hear her voice, someone's voice as they followed Isingoma.

"I would assume he is," Jack said. "I've never met the fellow before but Barbossa has. I think they are good friends."

"I don't know if that's good for us."

"I don't know either," Jack said with a shrug.

"That man could be leading us to our deaths and you don't care?" Elizabeth whispered angrily.

"Nothing much we can do except wait and see, can we?"

"I don't like this."

"Neither do I Lizzie. Neither do I."

Isingoma pushed open a massive pair of wooden doors and they stumbled into a large circular room . In it there was a dais and upon it a throne. It was made of solid rock and carved with the image of hundreds of crabs upon its surface. A blue curtain fluttered behind the throne and from behind it emerged a man.

He looked to be perhaps forty years of age with a strong, weary face and dressed in a simple white shirt, brown trousers, carrying a sword and nothing more. No rings, or earrings or any of the trinkets all pirates, from Barbossa to Jack Sparrow, liked to tie about their bodies.

"You bring me pirates," said the man simply.

"I bring you my friend, Hector Barbossa," Isingoma said pointing to Barbossa with an exaggerated flourish.

"And Jack Sparrow, captain of the _Black Pearl,_" Jack said, quickly placing himself next to Barbossa. "And Elizabeth Sparrow too."

"I am Jan De Groot, captain of the _Faired Haired Child_," Jan said stepping forward and moving next to Elizabeth.

"We come by order of the Brethren to fetch Calypso. We are, as it is, in a bit of a quarrel with a certain Davy Jones and associates," Jack said. "So we would appreciate the delivery of said so Calypso as quickly as possible. Do you have her?"

"I know where Calypso lies, yes."

"Well then" Jack said rubbing his hands. "If we could start loading said lady onto our ship …"

The man chuckled as he walked in a straight line towards Jack, stopping only a few feet from him.

"Do you think Calypso is a sac of barley you can throw over your shoulder and walk off with? Listen to me carefully Jack Sparrow: I have upheld my oath to guard Calypso for a hundred years. She will not be released until the proper time has come."

"Did you say a hundred years?" Elizabeth asked.

Everyone turned to look at Elizabeth.

"What?" she said. "It is a valid question. Did you just say a hundred years?"

"I did," the man said. "It was I who sought the assistance of the great shaman Uzoma. It was I who led the attack against Davy Jones. I was there when Calypso was bound and defeated. And it has fallen to Uzoma's descendants and to me to watch over Calypso's grave so that the wicked would not release her. I am Richard Newcastle, a member of the Brethren and I say to you Jack Sparrow you shall not take Calypso unless you have passed the test."

"What test? Barbossa, did you know anything about a test?" Jack asked shifting his eyes nervously.

Barbossa examined the dirt in his fingernails with disinterest.

"Didn't Tia ever tell you?" Barbossa asked nonchalantly.

"Tia? Tell me what?" Jack said growing more agitated.

"You must defeat me in combat. I have never been defeated," Richard explained as he drew his sword.

"Well, you've have one hundred bloody years to practice," Jack replied taking a step back.

"It has been said that only a once dead man could best me with a sword," Richard said with a smile, and he glanced at Barbossa. "I hope for your sake that you've died before."

"Well, that's not so bad," Jack said. "Me and the homunculus have both been quite literally dead. In purgatory. Dead as rocks. So why don't you put away that sharp little swordsie and hand Calypso over to us and we forget this nonsense?"

"One man alone can have the secret to Calypso's key. One man alone," Richard said, his eyes narrowing. "Now which man will it be?"

Jack raised a hand, ready to open his mouth and start blabbering some lengthy nonsense in hopes of escaping the immediate danger. But there was no time to speak because Richard Newcastle's sword flashed through the air.

"Bugger," Jack said.

_Next chapter: the duel. Like it? Dislike it? Wondering where all the plot threads are going? Fear not, they shall be all tied together. _


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**by Labyrinths**

_Author's Note: These characters do not belong to me. Just for fun._ **  
**

Jack jumped back, avoiding Newcastle's sword by a few inches.

"Look, mate, maybe we can have a friendly chat," Jack said in a high-pitched voice. "I am not a very violent person."

"A pity. But Calypso will not leave this island until the leader of your little group has defeated me. Grab your sword, sir."

"The leader eh?," Barbossa said giving Jack a wide grin. "A pity our self-appointed leader handles a sword with the expertise of a five-year old boy. Jack, why don't you let me mangle this fool?"

Jack kept slowly retreating and Newcastle kept stepping forward.

"Yes? In return for what?" Jack asked, without taking his eyes off Newcastle.

"The _Black Pearl _of course. And I also want to be the leader of this little expedition."

"Bugger off!"

"Barbossa does have a point," Jan said. "You're not exactly the best man to be our champion."

"No one asked you, noisy brat," Jack replied.

"Well I say we let Barbossa fight this one out," Jan continued.

"Ah, shut up or I'll cut you into small chewable pieces and feed them to the monkey."

"Newcastle! I am wanting to have Calypso as my own," Barbossa said, drawing his sword. "What do you say you fight me instead of this clown of a captain?"

"_I_ am going to get Calypso back to the Brethren. Not you, not the Little Dutch Boy, not anyone else, thank you very much," Jack replied.

"Just like daddy told you to?" Barbossa asked, chuckling.

Jack and Barbossa glared at each other.

"Only one man can have the secret to Calypso's key," Newcastle replied impassively. "But if you both wish to fight me, well then sires, go ahead."

Newcastle bowed his head and his sword as though he were greeting some great king for a fencing match instead of a couple of dirty pirates, one of which looked wildly uncertain while the other was wearing a nasty little grin upon his face.

And then the swords clanged and Elizabeth could do nothing but watch as the three men began to fight. Throughout the years Elizabeth had the opportunity to observe William practice his fencing. He had even taught her how to use a sword. This along with her time aboard a pirate ship had allowed her to learn quite a bit about swordsmanship.

Jack Sparrow, for example, was a poor fighter. Jack had little in matter of technique. More swagger than talent; if he hadn't been so quick and agile he would surely have had his head lopped off.

Barbossa on the other hand was a more fearsome foe. He dodged and parried well, and if unable to match Jack in sheer devilish energy, he nevertheless stood his ground with far more certainty than the younger pirate could ever muster.

But Richard Newcastle … Elizabeth had not seen a man fight half as well as Newcastle. He moved effortlessly, elegantly and his face, when he looked at his foes, was impassive. As Jack and Barbossa cursed and sweated and rolled, narrowly escaping the sharp edge of the blade Richard Newcastle stood proud and self-assured.

_He knows he will win_, Elizabeth thought and her fingers balled into a nervous fist.

Barbossa and Jack were attacking at the same time, both from opposing sides. Newcastle jumped, evading Barbossa's low cut, and responded with a violent shove and a twist of the sword that sent Barbossa stumbling towards the wall. Barbossa's sword went flying through the air and he lay on the floor, eyeing Jack and Newcastle but apparently unwilling to stand up and join the fight again.

And then Elizabeth realized that with Barbossa stepping out of the game Jack would quickly loose.

Jack ducked and ran to the other end of the room.

"Aren't you going to do something?" Elizabeth asked turning to Isingoma.

"It's not my fight."

"Well it's utterly unfair!"

Jack swept up to meet Newcastle's rushing sword and Elizabeth gasped as she saw him narrowly deflect the blow. All Jack could do was slide away from Newcastle, dodge and evade as best he could. But he was slowing down. He was slowing down and if he slowed down he was lost.

"Yield," Newcastle ordered.

"Not yet!"

"Yield now or you leave no chance for mercy."

"I can't!"

_He's too good_, Elizabeth thought, looking at Newcastle and edging closer towards the area were both men were battling each other, nervously touching the edge of her belt. _Please yield._

Jack darted away as the sword flew at him, yelling obscenities. Only that was going to do nothing to help him and Newcastle kept attacking, moving sideaways, slashing at his legs, then at his arms, and each time Jack had to try a little harder to raise his sword.

He could not win.

_Yield. _

Jack lunged forward and Newcastle drew a sharp circle, jumping to the left and suddenly Jack seemed to trip, his sword went clattering away. Newcastle held his sword up. Elizabeth screamed.

"Stop!" she yelled.

Before anyone could think of stopping her she rushed towards Newcastle, her pistol aimed at the back of his head and she knew then that she would have shot a whole damn army if it was necessary.

But she had no chance to test her assertion, for Newcastle had spun around to face her and when he did he was inhumanly quick, faster than any mortal could be, he leapt towards her and his hand fell over her wrist, twisting it away.

His eyes, still calm, looked into her face and then for a single moment she saw his face change, turn as sharp as a shard of glass and there was a jolt of surprise in it. He could have killed her had he wanted. Instead Newcastle let go of her arm.

His eyes, burrowing into hers, seemed oddly familiar. An invisible question hung between them and was shattered by Jack's loud voice.

"Yield!"

Jack had a knife to Newcastle's neck. Newcastle smiled. For a moment Elizabeth held her breath thinking he would not relent, would try to fight back instead.

"You are a very lucky man to have such a wife that would risk her life to save your own, Mr.Sparrow," Newcastle said, finally looking away from Elizabeth.

"Yes, well, I saw her first so step away from the wife, yield and give me the key to the goddess Calypso," Jack said, panting.

"Very well. You've earned it. Unfairly I may add," Newcastle said.

"Sticks and stones," Jack muttered.

"Do you have Calypso's locket?"

"Aye. Barbossa's got it. You alive Barbossa?"

"Bruised, but not dead yet," came the clipped reply as Barbossa rose to his feet, busy tying a piece of clothing around his wounded arm.

"All's in place then," Jack clapped his hands and smirked. "Take us to our goddess."

Jack said it with such ease that no one could have guessed he had been about to be impaled with a sword just minutes before.

"Isingoma," Newcastle said.

The man in crimson moved to stand next to Newcastle and began chanting some words Elizabeth could not understand. Jack leaned down to whisper something to her.

"Thank you for that," he said, touching his chest.

"Are you hurt?" she asked, her hands falling over his chest as if on their own accord.

"Barely a scratch."

"We'll have to get you back to the ship for Mr.Gibbs to look at it, we …"

"Ah, it's naught. I've had bullets go through my body. A cut is not the end of the world."

"Well I'm not letting you die again, so shut up. Mr.Gibbs will bandage …"

"I'd cut myself more often if it helped to keep you closer to me," he said with a wink.

Elizabeth glanced up at Jack. She was unable to conjure a coherent reply due to the sudden tremor beneath her feet and the vague rumble that invaded her ears. The rumble grew, causing Elizabeth to glance around in panic and all of a sudden she felt the ground shift violently.

Elizabeth tried to keep her balance as the ground seemed to ripple and waver. The floor was breaking away and she jumped back in surprise. They had been standing over a large mosaic depicting a ship and a woman with blonde hair holding a crab in one of her hands but now the whole mosaic was crumbling into the ground and a large gap grew in its place. Large fissures emerged and even more pieces of the mosaic disappeared until they were at the edge of a perfect round hole.

_Author's note: Feedback? Peeves? __Cheers everyone.__ Next chapter: Calypso._


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**By Labyrinths**

_Note: I do not own the characters of this story. Intended only for fun._

Elizabeth peered down into the hole. It was filled with water. She thought of what it might be like to lay underneath it, in the cold, lonely dark with no other companion except the soft sound of fading memories. Fading hope.

Isingoma's words seemed to grow louder and Elizabeth leaned down and squinted. There was something in the water and with each word that poured from the warlock's mouth that something seemed to bob closer to the surface. Suddenly it streamed out of the water and Elizabeth took a step back.

They all took a step back, except for Richard Newcastle who merely observed the proceedings with grim determination.

A woman had emerged from the water, floating into the air. She wore a white dress and her hair was also white, long and tangled. Elizabeth could not make out her face, the curtain of hair was hiding it, but it was easy to see she was an old woman, her skin shrivelled and her body frail. Elaborate manacles tied her hands together and heavy chains were wrapped around her body. The chains were connected to three heavy metal balls to further restrain the woman's movements.

The woman lay-suspended in mid-air, above the hole in the ground. Isingoma's voice had reached a fever pitch and as he spoke the woman drifted towards the left, towards the ground where she was slowly deposited and stood still. As still as a statue with her hands out-stretched, as if trying to grab a hold of some invisible object.

Richard Newcastle was the first one to approach her.

"The locket," he demanded.

"Barbossa, give him the medallion," Jack said, trying to sound calm but Elizabeth could see he was as nervous as the rest of them.

Barbossa obeyed and tossed Newcastle the chain with its golden locket.

"Awake," Newcastle said as he leaned forward, letting the locket fall onto the woman's outstretched hands.

Elizabeth held her breath, then let it out as nothing happened. The woman was a statue of flesh; a dead idol.

Jan de Groot broke the silence with a loud, angry voice.

"Why isn't she moving?" he asked. "I think she's dead!"

"She sleeps," Newcastle replied. "She's slept for a very long time, deep in the dark."

"Then it's useless? Jack, you said it would work!"

"It will work," Jack muttered and then giving Newcastle a weary look he pressed on. "It will work, won't it?"

"Ah, you probably did it wrong," Jan was saying.

Elizabeth edged closer to the woman, curious. Calypso's skin was pale, sickly and her fingers were fringed with long, dirty nails. She looked like a beggar, not a goddess and yet Elizabeth thought she could feel a crackling of thunder; an invisible power brewing inside.

The woman's hand shot out, pulling Elizabeth forward. Elizabeth let out a loud yelp.

"My child. I've looked for you for so long," the woman said, raising her head.

Up-close Elizabeth discovered the woman's face was lined with age, she seemed to be missing a few teeth and her eyes were a nebulous blue, akin to Venetian milk glass.

"Let her go!"

It was Jack talking and Elizabeth heard the men shifting, the sound of blades drawn but she kept staring at the strange woman's face.

"Daughter?" Calypso said, titling her head and frowning. "No … your eyes. They are all wrong … not my child ... no."

The woman let go of her and Elizabeth stepped away from Calypso, felt Jack's hands around her as he pulled her close to him; his sword still raised towards the goddess.

"Not my child," the woman repeated, she turned to look at the pirates, wringing her hands. "Have you seen my daughter? I've lost her … gone … taken."

The woman sat down, the heavy chains rattling as she held her head between her hands.

"What is wrong with her?" Elizabeth asked, looking at Newcastle.

"I think she's gone mad," Jan muttered.

"She was already mad. Mad with grief and vengeance," Newcastle said. "What is wrong? Everything is wrong. We have chained a goddess. We've chained the sea so that it would not swallow us whole. Here is what's left of it."

"I'm not sure if she'll be much help to us after all," Jack said.

"She might," Newcastle said. "She might not."

"Can't you take the chains off her?" Elizabeth asked as the she watched the woman slumped on the floor.

"Those are not common chains young lady and it is not a common key that opens them. Isingoma's grandfather wove those chains. They were forged with earth magic. It is the only thing that contains her power. You should not release Calypso until you have found your way to your enemy or disaster may befall you."

"It just … it seems cruel."

"It is. Sparrow, you've won the secret to the key. Come with me," Newcastle said.

"I'm going with you," Elizabeth said, quickly reading herself to follow them.

"No. Only him," Newcastle beckoned Jack forward.

"Oh. Right. It's a man thing is it?" Elizabeth said, her hands falling on her hips. "Well I don't care. Wherever he goes, _I_ go."

"Elizabeth. Love. Darling, lets not upset the immortal fencing-genius and his shaman, shall we?" Jack said putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her aside. He lowered his voice, both of his hands now on her shoulders. "Look, I think it's actually a good idea if you stay here."

"What?"

"Lizzie, please. Someone's got to watch over Barbossa and de Groot, alright? Watch them. Shoot them if they try anything funny … in fact, shoot de Groot even if he does _not_ try anything."

"I want to be with you."

Jack grinned.

"I'll remember that," he said.

Before she could discern his intentions Jack swooped down to plant a quick kiss on her lips. It was only the barest of touch but Elizabeth found she answered his call, surging up to meet Jack.

As soon as it was over Jack spun around and Elizabeth crossed her arms, feeling very much like a fool. He'd probably meant only to infuriate and distract her. He'd done a good job too.

"Very well men and err… my lady," Jack said sounding cheerful. "Guard the goddess. We shall return shortly."

Jack turned towards Elizabeth and his smile was a glint of gold and a hint of mischief.

When he was gone Elizabeth heard Barbossa's loud, swelling laughter behind her.

"How sweet. The lovebirds," he said.

She faced him at once.

" Be quiet or I'll put a bullet through your head," Elizabeth snapped and when she realized that Jan de Groot also sported a teasing smile, she frowned. "You too!"

_Author's note: I hope you like it so far. Next chapter: friendly advice and a dance._


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**By Labyrinths**

Jack emerged from his meeting with Newcastle carrying a small wooden box between his hands and ordered them to head back towards the ship.

Calypso, for an old woman in chains, walked rather briskly and the group was soon on the move making quick progress through the jungle.

Elizabeth, still flustered due to Jack's parting kiss, walked next to Isingoma and Barbossa, who were conversing in Portugese, before falling back with Richard Newcastle.

Newcastle seemed a strange fellow with his sad eyes and serious face, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd seen him somewhere before, but he was still better company than Jack Sparrow who was a lecherous, conniving, devious man. Elizabeth was afraid that if she stood too close to Jack he'd kiss her again. Of course she could slap him if he tried but then what if she didn't want to?

"You've made a peculiar choice for a husband Miss Elizabeth," Newcastle said, as if reading her thoughts. "Men like Jack Sparrow often make for poor husbands."

"He's not my husband," Elizabeth said as quickly as she could. "My real fiancé has been captured. Jack and I came together for the sake of the Brethren … and to save Will. It's Will who I'm supposed to marry."

Ahead of them Jack and Jan de Groot were busy talking but Jack turned in time to give her a smile. Elizabeth immediately stared at the ground.

"Then I feel sorry for your fiancé."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Elizabeth asked, looking up and glaring at Newcastle.

"May I give you some advice Miss Elizabeth? Get yourself back to your fiancé as quickly as you can and never speak to Jack Sparrow again."

Elizabeth frowned.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I do not wish to see you get hurt. I have seen enough people get hurt in my lifetime. Have you heard the story about Calypso's daughter?"

"Jack's father told me Calypso's story."

"But did he tell you his daughter's story? No. Then I shall."

A fly buzzed next to Elizabeth's ear and she chased it away with an angry swat of her hand. She should have told Newcastle to mind his own business but she had always liked a good story. It had been this way ever since she was a child fascinated with fairy tales and then with other tales of pirates and adventure and she recalled, blushing furiously, how she'd preferred the stories about Jack Sparrow because she'd thought him so handsome.

"Calypso's daughter was a beautiful young woman and when the time came for her to choose a husband she decided upon Davy Jones. If she had been born in days of old she would have picked a hero of some sort, an Achilles or an Odysseus, but since those days were past she had her pick of the men that came to place offerings before her mother's altar.

"Davy Jones was a brave and strong man, a mighty captain who charmed the woman with his intelligence. So Calypso and Davy went before her mother one day and announced that they would be wed in a year's time. But it is funny how the wheel of fate turns. It happened that …"

"Fate intervened," Elizabeth whispered as she suddenly recalled Cutler Beckett's same words.

Newcastle smiled and there was no mirth in his smile.

"Yes. You know the story?"

"No," Elizabeth said quickly. "Another story. A similar story."

"Yes. Very similar I suppose. In any case, it was a very happy day but then as Davy and his future bride were coming down the steps of Calypso's temple something happened. Calypso's daughter saw a man. Another pirate who had also gone to give offerings to the goddess. It was just one look. But a single look was all it took."

"Love at first sight," Elizabeth said.

"Love at first sight, love at first breath, love at every turn and anywhere and anytime they would have met they would have loved. But they met there on the steps of the temple minutes after she had pledged her hand to another man."

"What happened next?" Elizabeth asked hurriedly, if only because she did not want to dwell on this talk of love, of raging emotions and passions.

"They met in secret for six nights. On the seventh night they sailed away together. Davy Jones sat in silence, in darkness in his cabin and counted the days. He was heartbroken and he was furious. Why shouldn't he? The woman he loved had runaway with another man. She now carried that man's child in her womb and she lived and laughed and loved while he dwelt in misery. So on the exact day that Davy Jones should have wed Calypso's daughter he arrived at her door and took her away.

"In Davy Jones' eyes it was not an abduction. He was merely undoing the wrong that had befallen him and he kidnapped her and then you know the rest of the story. A curse for Davy and a watery grave for Calypso's daughter. And for the rest of us? For Isingoma's lineage a duty to lay watch at Calypso's island. A duty passed on from generation from generation since it was Isingoma's ancestor, the greatest shaman of his time, who chained Calypso with his magic. For the Brethren the weight of an old secret and an old fear dodging their every step."

"And for you?" Elizabeth asked.

"A curse to never leave this island until the goddess is set free. A hundred years of life and youth I would have never wanted," he said.

A twig broke under Elizabeth's foot and she shook her head.

"It is an interesting story but you ought to know … Jack and I … it is nothing like that and even if … you know, he is not a bad man."

"I am not saying he is and yet I advise you Miss Elizabeth, watch your heart. Hearts are funny things and losing them can be a difficult ordeal," Newcastle took off his hat and pressed it against his chest. "With that we part ways. This is as far as Isingoma and I can go."

They were standing at an elevation of the terrain and Elizabeth could see the _Black Pearl_ anchored below.

"Good luck," Newcastle said offering her his hand. "May we meet again some other time."

Elizabeth shook his hand.

"I hope so. You know, I have the sensation that I've met you before," Elizabeth said, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Perhaps in a dream," Newcastle replied.

It might have been a standard, gallant reply but somehow she thought it was not and then Elizabeth recalled the odd dream she'd had aboard the _Pearl_. She had drowned in that dream and there had been a man. The man, she did not realize until that moment, had looked like Richard Newcastle.

Elizabeth wanted to ask all manners of questions but Newcastle was already stepping away and she saw Isingoma also retreating, both of them heading back towards Calypso's temple.

"Fair winds to you Elizabeth," Newcastle said.

Elizabeth thought about following Newcastle and demanding an explanation. But Jack's voice called out to her and she turned to look at the pirate captain.

"Come on love, before the tide changes," he said.

"Just wait one moment," she said but when she turned to look at the spot where Newcastle and Isingoma had been standing both men had disappeared.

Elizabeth brushed a strand of hair back from her face and started walking, following the trail that would lead them towards the beach.

_Author's Note: So? Like it? Dislike it? Somebody asked me to explain what the title means. Noblesse Oblige means: means, literally nobility obliges and indicates that with wealth or power comes responsibility_. _A sense of duty, etc__. Next chapter: conversation, romance and a dance. (Sorry, I was going to post two chapters tonight but you'll have to wait until next time). _

_Btw, if you notice any mistakes let me know. My English suffices most of the time (even if it is not my native language) but: 1. spellcheck sometimes changes certain words without me noticing it 2. I write in Canadian English which further confuses spellchecks 3. I sometimes make an honest mistake, forget a letter here or there. 4. sometimes my brain just takes a holiday even if I try to maintain it efficient and readable :)_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**By Labyrinths**

_Note: I do not own the characters of this story. Intended only for fun._

When a pirate celebrates victory a pirate gets drunk. Jack had no problems with drinking. Eating was also enjoyable. Telling bawdy jokes worked nicely. But dancing …. he was not too fond of dancing. Then again they might as well have one night of enjoyment and at the very least it served to divert attention form Calypso. Several of the men had been rather spooked with the goddess when she was brought on board. Ragetti even said she looked like a witch out of a fairy tale and Jack hit him on the back of the head.

So Jack shrugged, patted his bottle of rum and watched his crew dancing around the deck. Elizabeth seemed to be having a good time as she twirled with Mr.Gibbs. The other men were clapping and singing and someone was playing an old violin while Ragetti tried to remember the punch line of a joke but Jack paid little attention to him. He watched her dance.

There was little more he could do since she had been avoiding him for a whole day. Elizabeth might be smart but she was not very subtle. Oh, well, at least she had not slapped him or condemned him for daring to compromise her reputation. Or any other nonsense. But really it was only a kiss and there was no harm in a kiss.

"That is all you'll be getting from her, mate," he muttered to himself. "Bloody Will Turner."

That dance ended and Mr.Gibbs went to sit down. Jan De Groot stood up with all the flourish of a prince and took Elizabeth's hand.

Jack rolled his eyes. Jan de Groot looked like a ninny. Dancing there with Elizabeth and bloody hell she seemed to be having a good time and was that … flirting?!

"Here. Hold this," Jack said throwing Ragetti his bottle.

He made his way towards the dancers and tapped Jan's shoulder with a finger. The young man looked surprised to see him.

"Captain's privileges," he said, shoving him aside and taking Elizabeth's hand.

Before Jan could formulate an intelligent reply Jack was spinning away with Elizabeth, moving to the quick tempo of a merry tune.

"That was unnecessary," Elizabeth said, scowling.

"Necessary for me," Jack said, his feet slamming against the deck.

"Jack, I do not want to be talking to you."

"Still mad at me?"

"Yes!"

Step, together, step. Elizabeth closer to him for a moment gave him an angry look, then step away, back together again.

"Lizzie, 'tis only a kiss. A nice kiss, no?"

"It's improper!," she whispered. "What will the crew think? What will they say?"

"You mean what is Mr.Turner going to think when they say it to him?"

"Why…yes."

"Oh, he'll try to run me down with a sword I reckon. That's for me to worry."

"Jack!"

Jack rushed forward to meet Elizabetn, holding her quickly as the staccato of the music demanded. What followed was easy, just a step way. But Jack pretended to miss a beat and held her longer than was necessary.

"Jack," Elizabeth said, a warning in her voice.

This is where I get slapped, he thought and readied for the blow.

The blow didn't come. Instead, Elizabeth looked up at him. She was so close, eyelashes fluttering as she glanced at him. Jack thought the music had changed its tempo but it did not matter because his feet had stopped moving.

The sound of thunder and the sudden soft splatter of a few drops of rain ended his reverie. Jack glanced at the sky. A storm had caught up with them.

The men grumbled and shuffled their feet. The party was over.

"Come on, lets head towards the cabin," Jack said.

"No!"

"What?"

"Calypso," Elizabeth blurted, quickly pulling her hand from his grasp. "I should go check on her."

"She has a guard."

"She might get scared … she might be cold."

"She's a goddess, Elizabeth."

"She's an old woman."

Jack relented with a sigh and watched Elizabeth hurry below deck. When she was gone he turned around, arms raised imperiously.

"Rum!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pintel was asleep, a lantern at his side. So much for a guard, Elizabeth thought as she tiptoed next to him and stood in front of Calypso's cell.

When she was a child she had been afraid of storms and though it was silly Elizabeth thought the woman might need some company. As an added perk this gave Elizabeth a few minutes to clear her head. No thoughts of Jack for now.

"Hello," Elizabeth said. "I brought something for you."

Calypso sat with her back to Elizabeth, rocking back and forth in the dark. The woman turned around, looking at Elizabeth with empty eyes. She moved slowly until she stood next to the bars and clutched the worn blanket Elizabeth was carrying.

"I'm so sorry. But we need your help. You are the only one that can defeat our enemies."

"It rains," Calypso said.

"Yes. A tropical storm."

"Once I commanded storms. Did I tell you that? I had a daughter too."

"You did."

"She had the most beautiful blue eyes in the world. The most beautiful."

Elizabeth's mother had the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen and Elizabeth wondered if perhaps Calypso's daughter might have had similar eyes, deep and steel-blue. Recollections about her mother also brought forth thoughts about her father. Elizabeth wondered where Weatherby Swann was and how he fared. How frightened he must be, wondering what had happened to his daughter and his heart breaking with worry.

"Are you sure you have not seen her?" Calypso asked, her fingers tightening around the bars of her cell, the blanket falling to the floor and forgotten.

"No. I'm sorry," Elizabeth said. "You should rest."

"I can't rest. I can never rest. Listen there, do you hear? A storm is coming."

"I know."

"No. Listen. A storm is coming."

Elizabeth paused and listened. She could hear the usual sounds aboard the ship, wood and sea and wind. The pattering of the rain. But beneath it all she could sense something else. The crackling of some hidden power and she thought that perhaps this might be how it might feel if fate where to step behind her and whisper to her ear.

Elizabeth stepped away from the woman.

"I should go," Elizabeth muttered.

She rushed up the stairs.

_Author's Note: So? Like it? Dislike it?_

__

  



	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17  
By Labyrinths**

_Note: I do not own the characters of this story. Intended only for fun._

Jack peered down at Elizabeth, crouched in a dark corner with her back resting against a large barrel and a bottle of rum dangling from her fingers.

"Hiding from me again?" he asked casually.

"No. Drinking."

"So drinking and hiding?"

"Go away Jack."

"I would. But Mr.Gibbs sent me to check on you. It's cold down here. Lets head to the cabin."

"I'm fine."

Jack sat down next to her and grabbed the bottle. He took a good swig and handed it back to her. Elizabeth stared at the dirty glass bottle with interest, running a finger down its side.

"Don't be mad at me. Or be mad in a warmer place," Jack said, smiling. "Like you know, in bed."

Elizabeth did not smile back, she just kept staring at the bottle with tired eyes.

"Jack, do you believe in fate?"

Jack rubbed his chin, his fingers tangling with some beads, and looked at her.

"Is that what's bothering you?"

"Maybe."

"Your fate or someone else's?"

"It doesn't matter. Do you believe in it?"

The governor of Port Royal's daughter, stinking of cheap rum, in a dingy storage area asking him a metaphysical question. Jack paused and considered it, then grabbed the rum bottle again and took a very long sip before she leaned over and snatched the rum away from him.

"When I was a boy I hated my father," Jack said. "Teague Sparrow. Pirate, thief and liar. My mother, a romantic who was an easy believer of lies, tried to soften the image I had of him but it was quite obvious that I was the bastard son of a seducer who had no qualms in running away with a young woman, then abandoning her several months later.

"Thus I hated the idea of anything illegitimate. I hated the idea that I was the spawn of some dirty outlaw, some pirate.

"Several years later my mother, having grown more sensible and less of a romantic, decided to marry a well-behaved gentleman."

"Was your stepfather cruel?" Elizabeth asked. "Did you stowaway on a ship to escape him."

Jack could not help but chuckle.

"You read too many stories. No. He was a very nice man. An honest, hardworking merchant. Mr. Grey. He loved my mother and he spoiled me terribly. I adored him. I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. So I took to my lessons with glee, put much effort in behaving like a gentleman and then one day I had a post with the East India Company. I was a cartographer and Cutler Beckett, who was the youngest of Lord Beckett's three sons, thought I was so witty and competent that he made me captain of a ship.

"My father was the proudest man in the world and I was the cockiest son you'd ever met. I'd only been sailing for a little time as master of my own ship when Beckett asked me to fetch some cargo off the coast of Africa. It turned out it was a cargo of slaves and I couldn't do it. I couldn't deliver them. So instead I set them free. I thought Cutler wouldn't mind, seeing as we'd gotten along well. This turned out to be a rather flawed assumption on my behalf and he had me seized at once. I was branded a pirate and they sank my ship. My beautiful, beautiful ship."

"Is that when you escaped? From under the eyes of twenty officers from the East India Company?" Elizabeth asked, repeating the nonsense she'd read somewhere.

"No. My stepfather bribed the guards. Then he dragged me onto a ship headed to Madagascar and told me to find my father, my birth father that is, and ask him for assistance. He thought Teague could hide me in some far off corner of the world where I would be able to rebuild some semblance of a life.

"But I didn't go. Instead I went looking for my bloody ship because I'd heard some stupid tale told by some mariner about Davy Jones. That was my first mistake. The second came when I decided to loot my way through the Caribbean, searching for treasure and adventure. I knew nothing about managing a pirate crew or living with outlaws. Teague would have known but I wanted nothing from Teague. Yet I eventually readied a crew and off we went sailing and then one day we came upon Hector Barbossa. My third mistake was trusting him. You see, I was a very stupid man and not very well suited for piracy.

"Then, once I'm rotting in some hovel in Tortuga in comes Teague Sparrow. He'd had a message from my stepfather asking him to find me and care for me. It was Mr.Grey's dying wish."

Elizabeth remained slumped next to the barrel but she looked at him now instead of staring at her hands or the stupid bottle.

"I don't see what any of this …"

"Fate," Jack said interrupting. "Your precious fate. I always thought my fate was to become an honest man and a gentleman with a wife, children and a respectable home. Talking with respectable men and thinking respectable thoughts. I thought my fate was to be Jonathan Grey and I'm Jack Sparrow instead. There's no such thing. Just the choices you make. Good or bad. It's choices. Nothing's written in stone, nothing's certain."

"What if you're wrong? What if there is such a thing and it's written somewhere and you must follow a certain path?"

"No. That's putting the blame on others. That's saying some divine force made me do it. Fate made me a pirate. That would be nice, wouldn't it?" Jack said throwing his head back. "I could just say I was not to blame. Fate made me a pirate. But it didn't. I could have done a million things different and had a million different outcomes. I'm here, sitting next to a drunk lady because of my choices. And I don't regret one bit of it."

"I am not drunk," Elizabeth muttered.

"You are drunk. Drunk and sad. There's no worse kind of drunk."

Elizabeth let out an exasperated sigh and slammed the bottle against the floor. It toppled over and fell, rolling down the floor but it did not spill. It was empty. They both sat quietly and lay very still.

"I always thought I'd marry Will, you know?" Elizabeth finally whispered. "I thought it was meant to be. I saved his life. I found him in the wreck and I loved him every single day since then. I thought we were meant to be together. Fate, you see? And now I wonder. I wonder where he is and I wonder if we'll ever be together again."

"He's alive. He'll be fine. He's a hero, no? Heroes win."

"I'm still afraid. I think … I think I've lost him all the same."

When he looked at her there were tears in Elizabeth's eyes and Jack fumbled, trying to produce an answer. He could handle angry women. He couldn't handle weeping ones. Finally he managed to clear his throat and jumped to his feet.

"You've lost your wits, silly Bess," he said extending his hand and helping her up. "Come on. Off to bed."

"Not with you."

"Of course. Never with me," he replied cordially. "I'm too smelly."

"Not to mention rude, obnoxious and … and …a complete deviant."

"Deviant. I like that one."

"Shut up Jack."

Elizabeth leaned her head against his shoulder and they managed to make it all the way up the rickety stairs of the storage room. He was about to swing the door open when Elizabeth spoke, very, very softly.

"You know I like you, don't you? Despite everything I might say."

"I know," he said smiling. "I like you too. Despite everything."

_Author's Note: Sorry about the delay. has been awful and wouldn't let me upload. Expect another update during the weekend. What do you think of this chapter?_


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18  
By Labyrinths**

_Note: I do not own the characters of this story. Intended only for fun._

It rained for the next few days. A never-ending drizzle that made Elizabeth nervous and irritated. They were closer to Shipwreck Cove and yet, although she should have been happy, she could not stop the odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. Apprehension.

Late in the evening Elizabeth made it to the dinning hall. She served herself a mug of grog, a handful of ship's biscuits and some rotting cheese. It was a lonely, unsavoury meal.

She was almost done eating when Jan de Groot walked in, soaked from head to toe. He sat down, grabbed himself some grog and nodded in her direction.

"Second dog watch is finally over. Dear lord, the weather is bad today."

"Mr.Gibbs says it'll pass soon."

"I don't know about that. The men say it's the witch that's causing the poor weather."

"Her name is Calypso," Elizabeth said. "And you'd hope the men would have some more respect. That old woman spends the nights crying in a dark cell. I think she'd hardly be worrying about whether it rains or shines outside."

"Aye, Mrs. Sparrow," Jan replied, sipping his drink

Elizabeth tapped her fingers against the worn table and frowned. Calypso. Newcastle. The box. Pieces of a puzzle never fitting together, the picture never becoming clearer. The box … she kept thinking about the box.

Elizabeth chewed the last of the biscuits and wiped her hands on her trousers.

"Is Jack on deck?"

"I think the captain's retired to his cabin."

"Thank you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The cabin was dark but she saw Jack slumped over his desk, fast asleep. She moved towards him. He looked peaceful. Even sweet. 

As she looked at Jack her eyes fell on a little wooden box upon the desk. Newcastle's box which contained the key to Calypso's chains, or so Jack had claimed. Her hand, as if it had a mind of its own, fell on the lid.

For a moment she felt an odd tingling on her palm and then long fingers fell upon her wrist.

"Curiosity killed the cat," Jack said.

Wide-awake the pirate looked at her and she looked back but did not relinquish her hold upon the box.

"I want to see the key," she said.

"You should go to bed. I bet you're tired?"

"What's in the box?" she asked, her interest peaking.

"Newcastle said not to open it yet. He said to open it only when we met our enemies."

"But what is in there?"

"Lizzie, you have a very bad habit: you're stubborn. Too stubborn."

"You don't trust me?"

"Lizbeth, I haven't rested nearly enough to start bickering."

"Something is wrong. Something is very, very wrong and I need to know what it is," Elizabeth said, her voice growing higher. "Please tell me. Don't you trust me?"

"Oh damn it, Lizzie! Don't you trust me? Leave the box alone."

Elizabeth's finger clutched the box fiercely and she even thought, a fleeting thought, that it was warm to the touch, but then she let go of it and stepped away. Jack quickly threw the box in a drawer and closed it before turning back to her.

Elizabeth brushed a strand of hair from her face and shook her head.

"I wish we were back at Shipwreck Cove," she said. "God, things are so strange … I dreamt of him again."

"What? Will?"

"No, not Will," Elizabeth said as she sat at the edge of the bed. "Someone else. I think he looks like Richard Newcastle."

"It's a bit early in the marriage to be dreaming of other men Mrs. Sparrow," Jack said with a smirk.

"Not that type of dream," Elizabeth said giving him an angry look. "It's more like a nightmare and this … this damn weather, it makes things worse. The whole ship creaks and … and I ... I want to end this and never, ever set sail on a ship again. When this is over I'm going as far as I can from the ocean … I'll go … I'll go to … oh damn it all, where will I go? Somewhere different … somewhere … beautiful."

Where would she go indeed? She was an outlaw now. Will was an outlaw. They couldn't possibly return to life as they'd known it in Port Royal.

Elizabeth felt dark and stormy that day. She crackled with rage and frustration. The bitter meal had only exacerbated her feelings of distress instead of soothing them and now she was simmering again as she considered her future, destitute and drifting with no certain course. She clung to the idea that Will would set it all right. If she could only get Will back he'd put everything back in place where it had been.

But there was no going back.

"Sevilla."

"What?" Elizabeth asked.

"Sevilla. That's where my mother was from. Before she married Mr.Grey my mother lived on a beautiful house in Sevilla with hundreds of azulejos decorating its walls. She had orange trees in the courtyard, next to the fountain and many yellow canaries in little cages. We left when I was very young but it is the most beautiful place in the world."

She caught the sparkle of golden teeth and his broad grin.

"A person could get lost in Spain, you know? Just disembark and get lost in some small town where there's no annoying Beckett or East India Company or such. Pick a new name. At least that's what I'd do. One could be perfectly happy there. Perfectly free."

She was lulled by his talk of Spain and freedom. She pictured a house with a low-pitched roof and arches above the doors. She heard the gurgling of the fountain in the middle of the courtyard, bursts of greenery all around and the sound of birds chirping.

"Are you telling the truth Jack?" she asked.

"Cross my heart," he said.

The way he said it, the way it sounded scared Elizabeth and so before he could add anything more she spoke. Grasped at straws, looked for words and managed to construct an unsteady sentence.

"You think Will and I could run away to Spain?"

"Why not. Why not," Jack muttered as he fell back on the bed.

Elizabeth could not make out his face from that distance but she thought his tone had changed, had grown a little sour.

"You'll get him back soon."

"I hope so."

"Tell me something now Lizzie and be honest."

"What?"

"Are you truly in love with Mr. William Turner?"

It was a very easy answer. Or should have been. Instead her throat burned and she felt her heart racing. She thought Jack could hear it as loud as a drum and the only way to silence the horrendous beating was to speak up. Speak up loudly and surely.

"I love him," she said, but her voice wavered.

"That was not the question. I asked: are you in love with William?"

"Same thing."

"Not at all."

"Same bloody thing."

Elizabeth shifted, meaning to get away from the bed but Jack shot up and pulled her down, making her sit. He held her in place with his gaze, like a snake charmer casting a spell.

"It's a simple question," he said.

"It's a stupid question!"

"You owe me an answer."

"I owe you?!"

"Yes, Yes, you damn well do," Jack said, his head bent to stare at her face. "Because you murdered me. Because you brought me back. Because you've never answered whenever I've asked."

"You've never asked before!"

"I have. For a long time, I have."

Elizabeth was startled by the sound of her own breath, the low surprised sound that escaped her lips and he was looking at her, looking at her and waiting and she wanted to look away because it was too painful. It hurt.

"I love him very much," she said. "I do and it would not be fair … he's loved me all his life. I'll be happy with him."

"That's not the question."

"I can't give you an answer!" she screamed.

Jack grabbed her by the arms and pulled her down. They struggled. She was trying to slap him and he held her hands.

"What do you want me to say?" Elizabeth asked. "I will not say it. I am not like Calypso's daughter. I am not … it's wrong. You are wrong."

"That is all I needed to know," he replied calmly and he let her go.

Elizabeth observed him as he drew back. Jack moved towards the door and she watched him knowing she should allow him to leave. He must leave at once. She remembered everything Newcastle had said; everything she had told herself since their adventure began.

Except something turned inside of her. It turned and screamed. It clawed at Elizabeth and Elizabeth yelled something, thought later she could not recall what it was she spoke.

She rushed towards him, her arms falling around his body. She buried her face in his chest. Elizabeth was too ashamed to look at Jack and closed her eyes instead, felt his arms encircle her.

He held her for what seemed a very long time. Eventually Elizabeth looked up at Jack and inched her lips closer to his, kissing him.

Elizabeth thought that she was being hopelessly swept away. She let it happen. She was pulled by the tide and accepted its pull and drowned in it.

Thunder roared in the distance.

_Author's Note: Opinions? Comments? For anyone who is curious the story is more than halfway through. There are maybe six more chapters to go and an epilogue.  
_


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19  
By Labyrinths**

_Note: These characters do not belong to me. Just for fun._

It was morning, a spectral light leaking into the cabin. But it was still quite dark inside the room as Elizabeth uncurled her body and turned to face Jack.

She was naked. He was naked. It was a very embarrassing situation. Not that she was a complete innocent or a complete fool but the fact that this changed everything, that she would never, ever be able to look at Jack the same way, unleashed a wave of apprehension.

She would never be able to look at Will the same way either.

_Will. _

"Jack, are you awake?"

He did not answer. She grabbed his shoulder and gave him a good shove.

"Are you awake?"

"No. I'm pretending to sleep, Lizzie," came the reply.

"Jack."

"Very well," he said rolling towards her and looking up at her face. "Is it that time of the day when you start screaming bloody rape?"

"No," she said.

Truthfully, she'd seduced him as much as he seduced her. Elizabeth was a hard-headed creature who disliked being led. Her curiosity and her desire to win at all games propelled her forward. And for all her talk of manners and virtue Elizabeth quickly disposed of these when she pleased.

"Look, Lizbeth, I'm not going to tell him. If you want …"

"I'm going to tell him. It's the proper thing to do, as stupid as that sounds, even if I'm terrified of speaking to Will."

"He's not going to run you through with a sword. He's going to run me through with a sword. Christ Lizzie, you could have picked a less combative fiancé, you know? I did like Norrington better, if I may say so," Jack said playfully.

"I'm not afraid of Will. It's just … we haven't talked in a long time. We used to talk about everything and then all of this insanity happened. Davy Jones, Sao Feng, the whole East India Trading Company after us."

There had been a time when Elizabeth Swann thought she could not live a day without seeing William Turner. Then something changed. She changed. He changed. It was not a bad change, at least she didn't think so, but the shift happened and though she tried to pretend that it was all the same it was impossible to close her eyes to reality.

It scared her to think this was life. An uncertain mess with no charts to guide her and she wading through its waters. It scared her to think Will could not be there to protect her and hold her close. It scared her to consider who she was, what she wanted.

A new world was unfolding and she had only begun to take her first steps in it.

"What happens to us now?" Elizabeth asked, lowering her voice.

"What do you mean?"

"This … how long. How? Us."

"Oh," Jack opened his eyes wide and sat up. "That, I have no idea."

"You don't?"

"Of course not. Look Lizbeth, lets just say for as long as we both want it. For as long as it makes us happy."

"Oh. That's not very substantial," she said, eyebrows furrowed.

"You'd rather that I say forever and make up some fancy words?"

"I don't know. It might be romantic."

"It's not about words, Lizzie and I'll be damned if I'm going to try to put it in a sentence and write it down for you. Life's too brief for such nonsense."

Jack's arm snaked around her waist and he pulled her down, onto the bed, leaning down to kiss her breastbone. Elizabeth laughed.

"You're tickling me!"

"No. _Now_ I'm tickling you."

"Jack!"

She moved, trying unsuccessfully to escape him and laughed until she finally managed to push him away, her face red and her breath spent. She scowled at him but then managed a smile and lay her cheek against his chest.

"I want flowers," she muttered.

"What?"

"Flowers. I don't give a damn for jewels or words or anything else but I want flowers. Constant flowers."

"Where the hell am I going to get flowers? Ask for jewels. I can get jewels."

"They would be stolen."

"So?"

"Flowers."

"Weeds is what I'll get you," Jack grumbled, cupping her face between his hands and pulling her up for a kiss.

It was not a very long kiss due to the loud knock at the door.

"Jack, get your arse up and let me in."

Barbossa. Loud, obnoxious Barbossa. Elizabeth scrambled to pluck a shirt from the floor while Jack grabbed his trousers. Fingers flying Elizabeth found the buttons and put them in place. She smoothed her tangled hair as well as she could.

"Do shut up. I'm coming."

Jack opened the door and Barbossa walked in, his monkey sitting on his shoulder and an apple in his hand.

"Morning Captain," he said and then he glanced at her and she thought his smirk widened. "Morning, Elizabeth."

"What is it?" Jack asked.

"Sorry to interrupt you Captain but it is that time of the day when _someone_ should be meeting with the navigator and assigning the sand clocker."

"Christ, morning watch already?"

"Funny how time passes so quickly when you're having fun, doesn't it?" Barbossa said.

"I'll be with you in a minute," Jack said shoving Barbossa out the door.

Elizabeth had blushed a bright red and watched as Jack looked under the bed.

"Where's my other boot?" he asked.

"Stop thinking about your boots! He knows!"

Jack gave her a puzzled look.

"Know what?"

"You and … I … we. He'll tell everyone!"

"Of course he will."

"And that's not a problem?"

"Darling, you are the Captain's lady-love, remember? Nobody thinks you are sewing my shirts at nights."

A boot flew across the room, almost colliding with Jack's head but he ducked just in time.

"Ah, there it is," he said happily grabbing the boot. "Thank you."

"I am never leaving this cabin again," Elizabeth said angrily.

She plopped down on the bed and thought about dignity, her reputation and all those useless bits she had learned during her childhood.

_Barbossa is probably saying some dirty jokes about me right this instant_, she thought.

"Of course you are. Breakfast, remember? Unless you want it served in bed," Jack said, winking.

"I'll go have breakfast," Elizabeth muttered as she started yanking on her own boots. "But I'll stab him if he gives me a funny look. I swear I will."

"I don't doubt it and I thoroughly encourage it."

_Author's Note: Comments? Next chapter: Arrival at Shipwreck Cove. _


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**By Labyrinths**

_Note: These characters do not belong to me. Just for fun._

"All right men, look sharp. It's going to be a heroes' welcome," Jack said cockily.

"Where's the _Fair Haired Child?_" Jan asked leaning against the railing and peering at the ships anchored near them.

"Maybe your little toy corvette sank," Jack muttered.

"I beg your pardon? The_ Fair Haired Child_ may be not be a galleon but it does quite nicely."

"Well, of course. If you want a _small_ ship …"

Elizabeth elbowed Jack and he rolled his eyes. Instead of bickering about who had the better ship, Jack slipped an arm around Elizabeth's waist and stated walking down the gangplank, Jan and Barbossa behind them.

Jack's spirits were high as they strolled leisurely through the docks. He was trying to picture the face of old Hiram De Groot when he saw them marching triumphantly into the Brethren's meeting chambers, when a group of dirty sailors suddenly emerged, blocking their way.

"You'll be coming with us, Mr.Sparrow," one of the sailors said.

"Captain Sparrow," he corrected. "And may I ask …"

"I don't think you can ask much at this time."

The voice was familiar and Jack held his hands up as the sailors drew their guns. They were no sailors at all and the man now stepping forward was familiar. Very familiar.

"Mr.Mercer," Jack said.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cutler Beckett was sitting at the head of the Brethren's table like a king presiding over his court. He observed the prisoners with a nonchalant air as they were marched in.

"Here she is," Mercer said as he pushed Calypso forward. The woman fell to the ground with a great clanking of chains.

"Not much left there it seems," Beckett said and he looked up at Jack. "Still, I owe you a thank you. You've saved me a lot of trouble. For a moment there I was worried you might fail on this mad quest to free the legendary Calypso."

"You're welcome," Jack said. "But now, if we may talk in private …"

"How did you find us?" Jan De Groot demanded and turned towards Jack angrily. "Did you tell him? Did you, Barbossa?"

"A little bird told me," Cutler said.

"I gave him the charts which revealed the location of Shipwreck Cove. Stolen from Sao Feng."

Will Turner. Dressed in black and green and looking positively furious as he stepped into the room, a hand resting on the hilt of his sword and his eyes sombre. Not the man Jack Sparrow wanted to see.

"I've gotten quite good at stealing Jack. Just like you."

"Will," Elizabeth said taking a single step forward. "How could you? Why?"

"You have to forgive Mr.Turner. Understand lovely Miss Swann, oh forgive me, Mrs.Sparrow. Please understand, everything he did, he did out of love. Unlike Jack, of course," Beckett said with mordant sarcasm.

"I had to. He betrayed us. He was going to take off with the Black Pearl," Will said, pointing an accusing finger at Jack.

All eyes turned towards Jack.

"Jack," Elizabeth said.

"Jack!" De Groot yelled.

"Oh, Jack," Barbossa chuckled.

"Me?" Jack asked innocently.

"Yes, you," Beckett said rolling his eyes. "Mr.Sparrow very eloquently argued that he could deliver the greatest threat to the East India Company and the Brethren's most powerful weapon: Calypso herself. All in exchange for a ship. But of course, Jack being the unreliable sort … Well, I couldn't just wait for him to deliver the cargo to me in Port Royale. Sorry, Jack."

"A ship," Elizabeth whispered, her eyes fixed on the floor. "You lied and betrayed us for a ship."

"It's not just …"

The punch came hard and furious, making Jack wince in pain.

"Hit him again!" Jan yelled.

Jack tried to form a coherent explanation but Elizabeth's flurry of blows, kicks and even, ouch, was that a bite?, made it difficult to say anything. Finally some of Beckett's men dragged her away. Still, she twisted like a salmon out of the water trying to get at him.

"You pig! You lying, cheating deceiving pig!" she screamed.

"Be quiet or I'll have you gagged," Beckett ordered and then turned his attention back to Jack. "Where is the key to Calypso's chains?"

Jack rubbed his aching arm and frowned.

"I don't think we negotiated anything about a key," Jack said.

"Do not try to be funny. I've got all of the pirate lords and their first mates waiting to be taken to the gallows for a very important public execution to be held in Port Royale. Your father stands to be first in line."

"We did not negotiate for the key," Jack repeated. "And seeing as you entered in other negotiations with Mr.Turner I am disinclined to agree to your request. I just don't trust you anymore Beckett old chum."

"The key Sparrow."

"What key?"

"You mean that little wooden box?" Barbossa asked.

Beckett turned his head just a fraction, his eyes now resting on the old, grinning pirate.

"I may have seen it. But I wonder if I should tell you."

"Perhaps you should," Beckett said.

"I'd like the Pearl and my freedom. Oh, and yes, Tia Dalma."

"The Pearl is mine," Jack countered.

"Actually, the Pearl is mine now," Beckett said as he laced his fingers together and leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. "I'll agree to your terms Barbossa. Where is the key?"

"I saw him hiding the box in one of the rum barrels," Barbossa said smugly.

"Oh, wonderful," Jan said. "Bloody wonderful. Is there anyone in this room who is not keen on betraying someone else or am I the only honest idiot left?"

"Mr.Mercer, do me the favour of escorting our guests to their cell. Except for Mr.Barbossa of course. He may remain with us."

Jan, Jack and Elizabeth were unceremoniously dragged out of the room, with Jan swearing loudly in Dutch and English. When they were gone Will turned towards Beckett.

"What about Elizabeth?" Will asked. "You promised me Elizabeth."

"You can't have your fiancée back until we reach Port Royale," Beckett said as he walked towards Calypso, who lay curled on the floor in a small ball, her eyes closed. "Not until Calypso is buried, the key destroyed and this whole mess is sorted out. Not until our security is assured. Not until the age of piracy has come to its rightful end."

Calypso opened her blue eyes for a moment to stare at the three men watching her. Then she closed them again.

_Author's Note: Comments? Next chapter: Trapped_


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21  
By Labyrinths**

_Note: These characters do not belong to me. Just for fun._

Elizabeth tripped and fell. She felt Jack's hands as he tried to help her up but she pushed him away, rising on her own.

"It seems like your friend is angry, Jack. What have you done this time?" asked Tia, sitting in a corner of the small cell.

"Betrayed us, madame," muttered Jan De Groot nodded politely at Tia. "A regular Brutus. But somehow I am not surprised. No wonder my father ordered me to go with you. He didn't trust you. He was right."

"Blah, blah," Jack muttered as he slid to the floor, draping an arm across his knee. "Do something useful for once Jan. Grab a spoon and start digging our way out of this cell."

Jan kicked a dish that lay on the floor in Jack's direction, but Jack merely moved away and the dish slammed with a loud clatter against the wall. After that they were quiet, tension eagerly creeping through the group.

Elizabeth stared at Jack.

"You lied to me," she said eventually.

"I didn't lie. Not directly and not entirely."

"Jack, you lied. You were working for Beckett all along. You were just going to run away and leave us all to die and …"

"Yes I was. I had gun pointed to my head. A gun to your head can change your perspective. And I was not about to die for bloody Barbossa, Will Turner and his screeching fiancée who, by the way, happened to murder me."

Elizabeth looked away, biting her lip.

"So yes, I said I'd give him Calypso because it seemed the most sensible thing to say at the time. What did you expect? I'm not a good man. Sail away and be rid of all of you? Wonderful. Delightful. Oh, I really did want to get rid of all the lot of you and specially of you Elizabeth."

Elizabeth's breath burned in her throat. She curled her fingers into a fist, her nails digging into her own flesh, wishing not to cry but feeling those stupid tears pooling in her eyes.

"And then … it passed."

She glanced up. Jack's face was serious. As serious as she'd ever seen him before, his dark eyes fixed on her.

"I knew I wouldn't do it. So it's a slip, love … and you know, how the hell was I supposed to tell you?"

"And I should believe that story? That you had a change of heart?"

"Lizzie, you know me …"

"Yes, I do know you and that's exactly …"

"No. I mean you know me. You _really_ know me."

"What is that…"

His hand shot forward and grabbed her own, holding her still.

"I told you the truth. On the _Pearl_. Every word I said. That is the truth. Remember? I told you everything that night."

Elizabeth knew what he meant and she recalled his hands in her hair as he spoke, arms around her waist and his breath against her ear. She recalled, between the jokes and the silly banter, the quick darting kiss. The whispered, staccato sentence.

"Oh, please," Jan cried out. "You must be joking."

"Shut up. I won't tell you again," Jack said, but he did not stop looking at her.

Dark eyes fixed on hers, coins and trinkets tied in his hair. Jack Sparrow. She was so angry, so furious and so hurt. Pirate. Liar. Madman. Yet she recalled also the kind Jack, the gentle Jack. The Jack who jumped into the water to save her life. The Jack who rowed back to the _Pearl_ instead of making an escape. The Jack beneath that other Jack. Beneath many shades of gray, hidden and sometimes elusive the man that she'd fallen in love with.

She would never know Jack Sparrow the pirate, the storybook character parading through a dozen adventures. No one could know him. But she did know the other Jack whose real names was Jonathan Grey. She knew him and knowing him, trusting him, she placed her arms around his neck and let her forehead rest against his shoulder.

Elizabeth thought she heard Jack let out a low sigh but she could not be sure for Jan's loud voice piped up again.

"That's all very lovely but we're still trapped and now Beckett has us, Calypso and the key in his power."

"You are right on two accounts," Jack said, his face changing to the usual smirking mask everyone knew so well. "But wrong on the last one. Beckett has a useless box. The larger box was merely the container for a smaller box. I never showed the real box to any of you."

Jack reached towards one of his coat pockets and produced a tiny golden box decorated with drawings of vines, flowers and what seemed to be sea creatures.

"Newcastle told me _this_ was the key," Jack said smugly.

"Trickery and more trickery afoot," Jan muttered. "What does it do?"

"Well I don't know. I just have it with me."

"It doesn't look like a key at all. Maybe the key is inside?"

"Don't know," Jack said shaking the box. "Can't hear anything."

Elizabeth observed the box and leaned forward, a strange tingling run down the palms of her hands.

"It's her music box," she said. "Calypso's daughter. Calypso made three objects: two music boxes and one locket. The music boxes were for her daughter and for Davy Jones. The locket was for Calypso to keep. To divide with them her power and the power of the sea."

"Oh. How do you know that?" Jan asked. "I don't remember hearing that part of the story."

"Sometimes stories are not told right," Elizabeth whispered and now her hands felt warmer, very warm as she touched the box.

"Don't," Jack said when she tried to pry the lid open.

"I think I need to," Elizabeth said.

"Let her, Jack," Tia said from her corner as she rose and moved towards them.

Elizabeth took the box and lifted the lid. The box started playing a little tune. It was an ordinary snuff music box made of gold with blue enamel panels. But inside it an image was painted: a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"She looks like my mother," Elizabeth whispered.

"It is Calypso's daughter," Tia said. "She died. That part of the story is true. But she had a child and the child had another child. Then the lineage was lost. The location of her descendants obscured."

"Oh, no … you're not saying," Jan frowned. "Her?"

"Calypso's heir, yes. The person who completes the triad," Tia said smiling, her dark teeth looking wicked in the low light of the cell. "The marriage of Davy and Calypso's daughter was supposed to be a great event. Not just a marriage but a division of power, yes, and the endurance of Calypso's power for her magic was weakening. The old gods were dying off. But she knew in Davy and her daughter she could ensure the future. New gods. Magic reborn. A cycle would spring forth anew. But then of course Richard Newcastle interfered. He …"

Elizabeth recalled her dream. The woman in the water and Richard Newcastle screaming her name: Meredith. Calypso's daughter.

"He fell in love with her," Elizabeth said. "She fell in love with him."

"Yes. But of course now the time came again to set it right. Fate said it would be Will Turner's hand which would strike Davy Jones heart and he would take his place as Captain of the Flying Dutchman, joined with his rightful bride, Calypso's heir. The cycle would be finished. But fate has played us a trick, hasn't it Jack Sparrow?"

"Doesn't it always?" Jack said dryly.

The little tune from the music box played on. It was decidedly warm and Elizabeth wiped her forehead with the cuff of her sleeve. Had it grown hotter all of a sudden?

"The key was never an object. It's a person. It's her. Your job was merely to retrieve Calypso and the music box. With the pendant around Calypso's neck, one of the boxes in Davy Jones's grasp and the other one in the hands of Calypso's heir all the pieces would be aligned. But you've made a bad move," Tia said pointing an accusing finger at Jack. "She was not meant for you."

"I'm the villain? Look, I've done nothing wrong. Ask Elizabeth."

"The man is debauched womanizer, it is obvious …"

"Fine words from a man with a penchant for sheep."

Elizabeth was burning. She took a hold of Jack's arm, her breath suddenly shallow.

"If I had my sword I would …"

"Try it!"

_Stupid, silly pirates_, Elizabeth thought. It was her last thought before she closed her eyes and slipped into darkness.

_Author's Note: Comments? Questions? Etcs?_


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22  
By Labyrinths  
**

_Note: These characters do not belong to me. Just for fun._**  
**

Elizabeth dreamed and in the dream there was a beautiful woman with blue eyes wearing a hairnet decorated with gleaming pearls. The woman stood before the priests and before another woman, and this woman was an older copy of the young woman, her eyes equally blue. The young woman bowed her head. Then she held out her hand and leaned forward, laying a chaste kiss on the man's cheek.

For there was a man there, dressed as richly as a king but no king really or a king of another type. King of pirates.

The young woman heard the older woman speak and the priests were throwing some kind of powder into a large bronze brazier. Coloured smoke rose through the air. But the young woman was indifferent. She had seen ceremonies like this before, had grown up in the temple and been subject to the many rituals that took place during the different seasons.

This was just another ritual and she accepted it. She knew her place in this world, knew the role she must play. The maiden, the mother and the crone. These roles had been neatly explained to her and she understood marriage to be only another step in the process.

The young woman took the arm of the man and they exited the temple, walking down the stairs. It was there on the stairs that she saw a man and he turned and saw her too. She was struck as if by lightning. Her heart was ablaze.

Quickly, quickly now the dream changed and the woman was drowning. She reached out, trying to grasp the hand stretched out towards her and sank instead. The angry sea swallowed her.

Somewhere else, Elizabeth stood somewhere else now. She knew this place. The Brethren's chambers. Three men whispered to each other. She recognized Richard Newcastle, and the other two she did not recognize. One was a fearsome looking pirate and the other a dark skinned-man with scars upon his cheeks.

"But it shall be a frightful thing to do," the dark-skinned man said. "To chain an immortal and lock away a goddess."

"There is no choice," Newcastle said. "We shall all die if we do not act now."

"And what about the price of that choice? Are you willing to pay for it? You shall doom yourself."

"I will."

"But that will not stop it. You can not hold the sea. Fate. The cycle. It will not be undone."

"But can one not try to alter fate?"

She wanted to hear the answer but it was impossible because she was now standing before the bars of a cell. Calypso lay inside the cell in her chains, staring at Elizabeth.

"Take my hand," Elizabeth said and Calypso did.

The bars and the chains surrounding her disappeared. A great wind roared and tossed Elizabeth aside like a rag doll. She closed her eyes.

When she opened them Elizabeth saw she was standing on a ship's deck. A storm raged. There, upon the deck stood the captain of the ship and the sight of him made Elizabeth stare in awe.

It was William Turner. But not William as she knew him. His face and body were altered, his skin ghostly pale and she could see now that the flesh was carefully tasselled, a mosaic of light brown scales running around his neck. A long fin extended down the length of his back and thin spines emerged from his arms. She thought he resembled in this awkward metamorphosis a cross between a man and a venomous lion fish and the spectacle was in the end quite beautiful and disturbing.

"The fury of the sea," he said. "This is what you've done."

"No," Elizabeth said taking a step back, but the boards melted beneath her feet and she plunged into the water.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elizabeth's opened her eyes. Her head was resting on Jack's lap, the small music box clutched between her fingers.

"Jack."

"Lizzie," he said shifting and helping her sit up. "How do you feel?"

"Fine, I suppose," she muttered touching her forehead.

As she glanced around she saw Jan De Groot and Tia were sitting on the other side of the cell. They both seemed to have fallen asleep. She must have been unconscious for a long time.

"Jack, I dreamed an awful thing," she said. "It was Will … and it was my fault."

"What?"

"You heard what Tia said. We weren't supposed to …"

"Yes, I know what Tia said and I'm not going to swallow every word she utters. Tia knows a lot of things but she doesn't know everything."

Elizabeth opened her fist and stared at the little music box which lay cool against her skin now.

"I think she was right. Newcastle tried to warn me, on the island. Only I wouldn't listen."

"Good. Don't listen."

Jack leaned forward, kissing her deeply. His fingers curled into her hair and Elizabeth felt her hands slide up and around his neck. Jack broke their kiss and looked at her carefully, questioningly.

His lips parted but whatever Jack meant to say was muted by another voice.

"Elizabeth."

She turned her head and saw William standing outside their cell and Barbossa with him, but she did not pay attention to the old pirate. She focused on William. He looked just as he always did. Her William and not the phantom-creature of the dream.

"Will," she said, standing up quickly.

She thought, through the corner of her eye, that Tia Dalma stirred awake although this detail was of little importance.

"I'm sorry. I suppose I should call you Mrs.Sparrow from now on shouldn't I?"

"Oh, Will … We were trying to save you."

"As was I."

"I'm sorry."

He seemed hurt by her words and shook his head in silence.

"We should hurry," Will said at last, his long fingers turned the key to their cell.

"I do love rescue parties," Jack said clapping his hands. "Although you didn't need to bring _him_ along."

"I was the one who stole the key," Barbossa said with a smirk. "So be grateful Captain Sparrow."

"I am always grateful for my double-crossing allies. Unless you want to double double-cross me?"

"Not today," Will said.

"Good. Tia. Jan. Get up, we need to make a hasty, quiet and very successful escape."

The door swung open and Elizabeth stepped out. She glanced up at Will and he looked away. The gesture stung her. But not as much as the sight of Elizabeth and Jack must have hurt him.

"A thank you to you, William Turner," Tia said sliding a hand carelessly across the young man's chest and then smiling. "And to you Hector Barbossa."

"Yes, thank you, thank you," Jack said dismissively. "Now, let us all run to the _Pearl_ and head to China. I have a very good friend who would be glad to shelter us and …"

"We can't. I need to go to her. Calypso must be released," Elizabeth said.

"Love, take my vast experience into consideration: I think we should run."

"We can't," Elizabeth said as she put the music box inside one of her pockets. "We can't stop now."

It felt true, as though a long chain had been forged link by link and now they had reached the end of it.

"Beckett keeps Calypso guarded in a secret chamber," William said.

"Not so secret when you know Shipwreck Cove as well as I do," Barbossa said with a smile. "It's simple to find."

"Then you'll take me there," Elizabeth said resolutely.

"What about Beckett and Jones?" Jan De Groot asked. "Won't they to stop us?"

"I'll deal with Beckett. All there is to do is to steal is Jones' heart from his greedy hands," Jack said in his most confident voice. "Without Davy's heart and Calypso on our side he'll have to surrender."

"The heart is mine," William said. "You've stolen everything from me but you will not take my revenge."

William's voice sharp as a knife was alien to Elizabeth, as was the darkness creeping behind his eyes.

"Both of you go," Elizabeth said, quickly intervening. "You'll need each other's assistance."

"Fine," Jack said, crossing his arms. "Then Tia and Jan get to free the captive pirates. My father must be in one of this cells, somewhere. Get him out, get them all out. We'll need _them_ too."

"No," Jan said.

They all turned to look at him. Jack's eyebrows were deeply furrowed.

"I need to find the _Fair Haired Child_," Jan said.

"Your little ship?" Jack said.

"I need to get my ship _and_ my crew."

"Oh? And what do you plan to do with that? Sink Beckett's entire fleet to bits?"

"Something like that," Jan admitted.

"Well, then there's nothing to worry about," Jack said sarcastically.

"I may not be able to sink his entire fleet but I can distract him."

"Mighty distraction you'll be,"

"I sacked Nassau without firing a single shot. I think I can face Beckett's armada."

"I thought _you_ sacked Nassau," Elizabeth said, looking at Jack.

"Long story," Jack mumbled.

"I can handle myself without the young captain's help if that is what he wishes to do," Tia said.

"Thank you," Jan replied.

"Lets just go stop some baddies, shall we?" Jack said, exasperated.

"Aye," Barbossa said. "If you should come with me Mrs. Sparrow."

Elizabeth nodded, then leaned forward, whispering to Jack's ear.

"Don't let him stab the heart," she said.

"What?"

"Will. Whatever happens, don't let him stab the heart."

For a moment she thought Jack might refuse this request due to the prickly look he gave her.

"Alright, Lizzie. I'll keep an eye on him," Jack grumbled.

Elizabeth whirled around, following Barbossa.

"Lizzie?"

Elizabeth turned and for a moment she thought Jack was oddly nervous, but then he smiled self-assuredly.

"Take care," Jack said.

_Author's Note: The end is near. Keep tuned for the final chapters. Cheers._


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**By Labyrinths**

_Author's Note: Just borrowing the characters. _

Elizabeth watched as Barbossa removed a piece of stone from the wall, then pulled a dark bundle out from its hiding place.

"You stash away your weapons in the walls?" she asked.

"I stash them everywhere. No pirate should be without an extra pistol and an extra sword. Here, for you. A belated wedding gift if you survive to keep it: a schiavona."

It was a double-edged basket-hilt sword of ornate design, almost flamboyant, with a bright red liner. She had not seen anything like it before.

"Oh," Elizabeth said grabbing hold of the weapon. "Thank you."

"Jack has no taste. He thinks a cutlass is a good weapon."

The sword balanced well in Elizabeth's hand and she smiled.

"Thank you again. For the sword and … coming back for us. It was very … grand of you," she said, very slowly and carefully because she had never liked Barbossa.

Barbossa was too sly, was too much. But then she must also acknowledge his contributions to the whole endeavour.

"Beckett is bad business for all pirates. No good there. An easy choice to make. As for the swords, it is a gift but with a price."

Elizabeth frowned, observing him carefully.

"At the end of this little adventure I intend to sail away with the _Black Pearl_ and if Jack attempts to interfere I will shoot a bullet through his thick skull. So there, allow me to have my ship and you may keep that fine sword and that idiot husband of yours. Horrid choice for a spouse, if I may say so."

"A sword for a ship? Are you mad?"

"A symbolic gesture perhaps," Barbossa said smiling yellow, foul teeth at her. "But a way to ah … settle the little tug of war over the _Pearl_. Let her be mine."

"Shouldn't you be telling Jack this?"

"I negotiate with the rightful captain. Jack spins to wherever you may be. If you say 'let the _Pearl_ go' he will obey. He will listen. But only to you. He will not listen to anyone else. Now move. We need to find the witch and set her free. See if that helps us. Rusty old hag may have lost her power for all we know."

Elizabeth sheathed the sword. Barbossa was already walking away with long, sure steps. She followed quickly.

* * *

"Do you know where exactly he might keep it?" 

William Turner, hiding behind several barrels of rum nodded vigorously.

"He keeps it in his cabin. I've seen it. It's in a pouch, inside a desk drawer."

"There's half a dozen guards," Jack muttered as he looked at the men standing at the docks, keeping watch near the gangplank. "Maybe more."

"There's ten guards at all times," William said. "And two outside his cabin."

"Paranoid pig."

Jack had not thought it would be easy to steal Davy Jones' heart, but now it seemed it would be exceedingly dangerous. Perhaps it was best to play it dumb and wait for Calypso to save them all. Or for Jan De Groot to blast the enemy away.

The thought of the buggering Dutch-boy defeating Beckett's armada all by himself, and that pansy might do it too just to spite Jack, made him grit his teeth.

He was not waiting for anyone. If Jack Sparrow must bravely volunteer (wouldn't Elizabeth be impressed when she heard?) to risk life and limb in order to sneak into Beckett's ship and retrieve the …

"I'll go on board and steal the heart," William said, interrupting Jack's glorious musings.

"Hmm? Wonderful. Yes. Very good."

Perfect. Let the eunuch do it. All Jack had to do was sit down and quietly wait … no, wait one moment. William. Heart.

"No, no, no," Jack said pulling William back.

William gave him a sour, offended look and Jack quickly let the young man go.

"I think I should steal the heart," Jack said picturing William Turner trying to stab the damn thing if he left him out of sight. "I'm a much better thief."

"It's not a woman we are talking about," William said with an angry hiss.

"I didn't steal Elizabeth," Jack protested.

"She was _my_ woman."

"Sorry mate, but she's not _anyone's_ woman except her own."

William lunged forward. Jack thought he was about to be violently punched and stepped back.

"You wanted her from the very first time you laid eyes on her. I know it. Did you try to seduce her on that island? On the _Pearl_? Oh, I knew Jack. I knew you were after her. But I didn't think she would …"

"Now is not the time to discuss it. Kill me some other day. I need to get on that ship."

"I shall go on board," William said stubbornly, turning away from Jack.

Jack had made a promise to Elizabeth and he intended to keep it.

Jack sighed. Grabbing a small rock that lay nearby, Jack hit William on the back of the head. He fell like a ton of bricks and lay ungracefully sprawled on the ground.

"Sorry mate," Jack said, pulling William behind the haphazard pile of rum barrels. "Very sorry."

_Author's Note: Comments? Questions? Rants? Etc?_


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24  
by Labyrinths **

_Author's Note: The characters are not mine. Just borrowed._

There were only two guards and Elizabeth and Barbossa made quick work of them, restraining them with the manacles intended for prisoners and then muzzling the men so they would not call out for help. With those two out of the way, Elizabeth hurried towards Calypso's cell, which was really a large cage in the center of the room. It must have been originally meant to keep some sort of wild animal but it had now become the prison for the goddess. The goddess who never seemed much of a goddess, just a dirty, old woman.

"We've come to save you," Elizabeth said, pulling out the little music box from her pocket.

The woman did not look at them. She was a heap of forgotten rags. She was a stone cold statue, her face the face of an idol under the flickering torches.

Elizabeth touched the bars of the cell expecting … well, she was not sure what she had expected but nothing happened. Calypso sat there. Quiet as a doll, unmoving.

"You have the key, don't you?" Barbossa hissed.

"Yes! It's the box. I think. But I … I'm not sure what to do."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It didn't happen like this in my dream" Elizabeth said and her voice grew more urgent. "Please, come here. Look at me. We've come to save you."

The woman remained stubbornly quiet and Elizabeth gripped the bars tighter.

"Please, I don't know what I am supposed to do. Please speak to us?"

When there was no answer Elizabeth opened the box, desperately trying to see if there was some mechanism she should activate. Something. Anything.

Nothing happened.

And then the old woman turned her head a fraction of an inch and her eyes seemed to fix on Elizabeth's hands, madly rushing over the surface of the box.

"Where did you get that?"

* * *

"Heart, heart, heart," Jack muttered as he quickly opened and closed drawers. 

There were papers and more papers. Maps, even some gold, which he quickly pocketed. No heart. Were would Beckett stash a heart? Clearly not in the bloody desk, which was were Turner had said he would find the loot.

Jack started to look under the desk. Perhaps, as wild as it may seem, there was some secret compartment. He hoped so.

"Looking for something Jack?"

Jack almost bumped his head, then slowly rose to find Cutler Beckett standing at the door, a satisfactory grin plastered on his face.

"Cutler, old friend," Jack began, smiling broadly. "How are you doing today? What a surprise, um … what are you doing here?"

"You didn't think you have fooled me, did you? I knew this was not the authentic key," Cutler said tossing Jack a metal object. He caught it. It was the small key Jack had stuffed into Newcastle's large wooden box before pocketing the tiny music box.

"That would have been too easy coming from a conniving, lying wretch like Jack Sparrow."

Beckett had now stepped fully into the room. Behind him trailed three soldiers who were eyeing Jack with decidedly unfriendly eyes … and William Turner, who rubbed the back of his neck and glared at Jack.

"Ah, talking of conniving wretches. Will Turner," Jack said, his smile faltering. "I actually thought it would be Barbossa doing the betrayal."

"Sorry, Jack."

"Eunuch," Jack muttered.

"Don't be too harsh on the young man," Beckett said with a smirk. "You did seduce the woman he was about to marry. But don't feel bad Jack. You'll make it up to Mr.Turner. By now your friends are heading in Calypso's direction … with the authentic key in their hands. I will, of course, be taking said key from them and in return Mr.Turner gets to keep his lovely Elizabeth. Conveniently widowed, of course."

William Turner looked at Jack with resolute, steel sharps eyes and there was something there in his gaze that he recognized.

Beckett raised a pistol, aiming squarely at Jack's chest.

"Don't worry Jack," he said. "I won't kill you just yet. I just want to hurt you a little first."

* * *

"The music box," Calypso said extending a shaky hand in the objects direction. 

"Yes," Elizabeth said. "It's yours."

"Not mine. My daughter's."

"Do you want it? You want to take it?"

"From beneath the earth I called but she never listened. She has not returned."

"Here. Take it."

"Meredith? Is it you?"

"Please, come closer. Take the box," Elizabeth said.

Calypso's fingers almost grazed Elizabeth's. But the woman stopped suddenly and recoiled from Elizabeth in anger.

"No, you are not Meredith," the woman whispered. "Liar! Thief!"

"We've come to save you!"

"Give me my daughter!"

Calypso collapsed on the floor and began screaming and scratching her own skin with incredible violence.

"The hag has gone mad. Just get her out of there," Barbossa said angrily.

"I told you, I don't know what I'm supposed to do," Elizabeth said, suddenly feeling she was about to get an awful headache. That awful screaming … it was more like a screeching. The wind screeching on a stormy night.

"Just toss her the bloody box if that's what she wants."

The sound of boots upon the stone floor made Elizabeth look away from the old woman. Soldiers. A dozen of them and leading them Beckett's favourite henchman: Mercer.

"By order of Lord Cutler Beckett surrender immediately and give us that box," Mercer said.

"I think not," Barbossa replied with a merry laugh and for once Elizabeth chuckled with him.

They drew their weapons and the soldiers did the same. Wildly outnumbered, Elizabeth placed herself next to Barbossa, her chin up high as the men advanced towards them.

"What is the plan?" she asked, only because Jack always had a plan and she assumed Barbossa would have some carefully choreographed strategy.

But Barbossa shrugged nonchalantly.

"We kill them all," he said.

And then there was not much left to say because Elizabeth was quickly ducking, avoiding the blow aimed to her head.

_Author's Note: Comments? Questions? Rants? There's just some three chapters until the conclusion. Btw, if someone is sad about the rumoured POTC AWE ending, cheer up. _

_And you can go watch this video over at you tube. It has nothing to do with POTC. It's a very old video (like 1980s) in Italian by singer Miguel Bose but I think the music is great, sad (and if you understand the lyrics they are beautiful too) and to me it's the way I see "my imaginary" POTC ending (and no, it's not the ending for this fic) as opposed to what we may see in theatres Jack and Liz wise. Anyhow, don't know if you get my drift. It's called Se Tu No Torni. You can find it on You Tube by typing that phrase ("Se Tu No Torni"). _

_And as long as we are talking old 80s songs, you might as well listen to Nena, also by Miguel Bose. I think its very J/Eish. He,he. Anyhow if you want to listen to some of the weird retro-stuff I like, in You Tube type: _"Este Es El Video Clip Original De La Cancion De Miguel Bose Nena"

Warning: both videos are old and 80ish, not very good. But I still love the music. Cheers.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25  
By Labyrinths**

_Author's Note: The character's do not belong to me._

Elizabeth defended well, jumping in time to shun a low slash and parrying the blow. She moved parallel to Barbossa, making quick work of another soldier and narrowly avoiding Mercer's knife.

"Help us!" she yelled, not daring to glance in Calypso's direction but feeling her eyes upon them. "Calypso, your daughter is dead! And the man who killed her is here!"

Mercer, spinning a pair of knives with practiced comfort, attempted an upper cut but Elizabeth evaded him.

She quick-stepped Mercer a third time and felt, as he lunged with incredibly speed, that the use of the knives was giving him an advantage over her sword. She was not used to fighting against short-range weapons.

Mercer was quickly cornering her, making her retreat towards the cage where he might pin her against the metal bars.

Elizabeth successfully parried a left thrust only to suddenly catch a flash of metal through the air and feel a sharp jab of pain.

She saw, in horror, that he had tossed a knife in her direction and the ivory handle was now protruding from her right shoulder. Before she had time to gather her wits and attempt a proper defence Mercer's body lunged forward and crushed her against the metal bars.

Elizabeth kicked him and he yelled. But then it was her turn to yell as his hand twisted the handle of the knife causing a new wave of pain to flood into her body.

"Give me the key," the man hissed.

Elizabeth gasped at the same time Mercer clutched another knife, trying to bring it down against her face. Elizabeth blocked the knife-blow, feeling as the metal sliced the skin of her hands, and without pausing to think, she was past rational thought, sank her teeth into Mercer's cheek.

He screamed and moved, only a few inches, but enough for Elizabeth to scramble away. She clutched her sword and suddenly something fell over her shoulder. Elizabeth turned her head, only a fraction, and saw Calypso through the corner of her eye.

A bony hand had reached through the metal bars and the hand seemed to burn her body but she could not move as the fingers clutched her more forcefully. There was nothing but a single, white burning moment. Liquid fire rushing through her veins.

Elizabeth thought, dimly thought, she could hear a faraway melody and she realized her bloody fingers were clutching the little music box. Through a haze of pain she felt the fire burn her and suddenly, Elizabeth was propelled away, roughly, onto the stone floor and raised her head, dizzy and confused, to see the bars of the cell melting.

Calypso's chains also seemed to melt, to dissolve into nothingness as she stepped forward and raised her head.

The room had gone still. Only Mercer dared to run forward, dared to raise a weapon in the air and a gust of wind, wind that seemed to suddenly invade the prison chamber, picked him up as easily as a rag doll and smashed him against a wall.

The body lay still, twisted in a strange angle.

Elizabeth heard a loud clatter of weapons as more than one sword fell to the ground in unison.

Elizabeth felt Barbossa's hands as he helped her up but barely acknowledged him. She was too busy staring at Calypso in awe. The goddess was suddenly younger, her hair no longer completely white buy grey and her eyes were so very, very blue. Elizabeth thought she resembled her. No … rather, a version of her own mother. Taller certainly and her face more weathered, angular, sharp with dangerous ridges and stormy coves.

"I remember now," Calypso said, and her voice had an odd solemnity that made Elizabeth want to lower her gaze.

But she could not, entranced as she was.

"Do you remember Davy Jones?" Barbossa said, next to Elizabeth. "He along with our enemy's fleet are near and we need your assistance against him."

"I remember everything," Calypso said.

"Then … you will help us?" Elizabeth asked, slowly regaining the ability to string coherent words together.

"I must go to the sea," Calypso said.

* * *

There was a loud boom and Jack felt the ship rumble beneath his feet. Everyone looked startled. Jack's eyes widened in surprise. 

_Canon fire_, Jack thought and smiled wickedly. _Jan De Groot. _

And then, suddenly, Beckett's arm jolted violently and his revolver fired a wild shot into the air, shattering a small vase that had been resting on the desk.

In a flash, Will Turner was elbowing one of the men next to him and spinning with his sword.

Jack jumped forward, trying to run Beckett through and failing as a soldier interfered in his trajectory.

"What was _that_ about then Turner?" Jack asked as he punched one of the men in the face.

"I tricked him in order to get you out of the cells!"

"So you really are with us?"

Will kicked the same man Jack had just punched and the soldier fell to floor with all the vitality of a wet rag.

"He must have the heart!" Will yelled as he dashed behind Beckett, who was fleeing the cabin.

"Get away from the heart Turner!"

Jack stepped over a soldier, almost tripped, and regained his footing just as another canon ball flew through the air, the sound of shattering wood loud in his ears. Soldiers scrambled in front of Jack, running in all directions and Jack shoved a man out of his way.

He could see Beckett and Will as they rushed across the deck.

* * *

Jan De Groot looked at the East India Company's ships, and there, one of those ships headed straight in their direction, with a sneer painted on his face. He knew they would be intercepted as soon as they started firing at Beckett's fleet. 

"The Flying Dutchman is approaching," a crewman whispered near him.

"Very well," Jan said nonchalantly. "Try your best, bloody bastard."

Jan could see the blackness of the enemy ship's cannons. He knew soon more and more ships would pick up their anchors, quick to overwhelm them. He knew they were outnumbered. He knew nobody defeated the Dutchman. But for now….

"I want Davy Jones' head on a platter!" he yelled, raising his sword in the air.

Then the Dutchman's guns growled, a deep loud roar and the smell of gun-powder enveloped Jan.

_Author's Note: Rants? Peeves? Comments? We are almost done folks!_


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26  
By Labyrinths**

Elizabeth slipped and almost lost her footing but Barbossa, deceptively quick Barbossa, caught her and helped her up.

"Now lass, I can guide her to the docks the rest of the way," Barbossa said. "No need to rush around in your condition."

"What condition?" Elizabeth muttered. "It's a scratch."

It hurt, yes. Her shoulder and her hand. Damn Mercer and his knives. She was sure she would have a couple more scars on her body before the day was over, but did that matter? It did not matter when their fate was at stake.

_Will and Jack. _

As if reading her thoughts, clever, devious Barbossa smiled.

"Which one are you worried about now?" he asked.

"Both," Elizabeth snapped back. "I fear, if William should stab the heart …"

"That your lover would become a monster?"

Calypso had spoken. Had she grown younger still in the span of the few minutes they had spent navigating the corridors at Shipwreck Cove? Elizabeth could not be sure, for the light was rather dim in that particular hallway but she could have sworn there was less grey in the woman's hair and she might have been now closer to Elizabeth's age.

"Would he? If a man stabs the heart is he bound to Davy's curse?" Elizabeth asked.

"It was a gift, not a curse, when it was first given and it has been his own doing which turned the tide against him."

"But Teague told me you condemned him to sails the seas for all eternity. Condemned his heart to torment him."

"His heart torments itself as it should and his hate gave him a new shape. As for sailing the seas for all eternity, I granted him and my daughter much power. But my daughter is gone, bones turned to dust and dust turned to nothing because of Jones and because of his pirate brothers. Do not think I forget about _your_ kind."

Calypso looked at Barbossa, calm blue eyes fixed upon the man.

Pirates.

_There will come the day when all your kind shall perish and you will all be swallowed by the sea. Your bones will litter the ocean floor until there is not a single one of you left._

Teague's words came back to Elizabeth. She recalled Calypso's curse, uttered against the pirates she hated so much and now Elizabeth paused for a moment. Now she feared for a moment because Jack was a pirate, a pirate of the Brethren, and for the first time she feared the power, feared the wrath of a goddess.

* * *

Davy Jones' men were boarding the _Fair Haired Child_. Well, men was a sympathetic word. An assortment of hideous monstrosities rushed towards Jan, swinging swords and running along the deck. 

One of the creatures yelled and lunged towards Jan. He fired a shot, straight at the thing's face, and it crumbled into a bloody heap. Jan cut sideways at an angry looking man-shark, then jumped to avoid a low cut.

He chuckled. Jan De Groot, young and foolhardy as he was, had actually been enjoying himself. That is, until he turned and found himself face to face with Davy Jones.

Jan raised his sword high.

* * *

Jack Sparrow cursed in seven languages, one filthy word after the next. _The Fair Haired Child_ had been firing at them. Beckett's ship attempted to move out of the line of fire, finally managing to drift away when the _Faired Haired Child_ was suddenly engaged by _The Flying Dutchman_. 

Dutchboy against Dutchman. Somehow his mind processed the irony of that.

In any case, Sparrow cursed in seven languages because despite the fact that the _Fair Haired Child_ had caused quite a bit of an uproar and sent soldiers running in all directions across the deck; despite that now he saw other ships heading their way, _The Pearl_ and one other pirate galleon; despite this Beckett's men were starting to gather their wits. Beckett's own ships and his own men were now mobilizing to destroy the pirates that had managed to escape the dungeons and Jack was not sure exactly how many men Tia had sprung from the cells or how their numbers compared to Beckett's own.

On top of this Beckett was successfully fending off both Jack and Will and therefore Jack cursed in seven languages because he had forgotten that Beckett, despite being mostly a ninny, had studied under several of the greatest fencing masters in England.

Fortunately, Turner was not half-bad and their combined efforts had sent Beckett rushing below deck where they, of all places, clashed in the galley. The cook had fled as soon as they stumbled in and now they were fighting, the three of them, among an assortment of pots, pans and tin cups.

"Give me the heart!" William demanded.

"No, give _me_ the heart!" Jack said.

"You both can go to hell," Beckett grunted.

* * *

A full fight seemed to be in progress as Elizabeth, Barbossa and Calypso emerged onto the docks. Pirates and soldiers struck at each other feverishly, fired pistols and muskets, fled or engaged each other, and crowded the docks in a wild mass of bloodthirsty fury. 

A barrel went rolling by Elizabeth and crashed against a wall. Another barrel exploded at a close distance and sent splinters through the air, forcing her to cover her face and duck.

"There! There is Jan's ship and Beckett's!" she said, pushing back strands of dirty hair from her face. "And the _Pearl_!"

Before she could say anything else Elizabeth was faced with the sudden appearance of a bloodied soldier threatening to pierce her chest with his sword. At that moment she was grateful for Barbossa's gift because despite the pain, and she was in pain, the double-edged basket-hilt he'd given her was still light to the touch and she was able to swing and maintain control of the blade with ease.

Afterwards, the soldier dispatched, Elizabeth looked around to discover Calypso had wandered away during the scuffle. Elizabeth only had a few seconds to see how Calypso, standing at the edge of a pier, suddenly stepped forward and fell into the water.

Elizabeth ran. When she reached the edge of the pier she looked down, Barbossa leaning over her shoulder and both of them scanning the water. Calypso was swimming in the direction of the _Fair Haired Child_, her white body almost gleaming in the water.

"Where is she going?" Elizabeth asked.

"Back to the sea I will wager."

"Just like that?! She was supposed to help us!"

It seemed to be growing darker, as though nightfall were upon them. A bright flash of lightning ripped through the sky, as if it slicing it apart.

"Help or hurt us, I think she is finally free," Barbossa said, smirking.

"We need a boat," Elizabeth muttered, looking around. "We can't let her go alone."

"She's a goddess. She can fend for herself."

"I'm not worried about her. I'm worried about them."

"Both your sweethearts?"

"Her curse," Elizabeth said, now spotting a little, lonely boat. No more than a skiff. "It worries me."

"You mean the one about our annihilation at her hands?" Barbossa chuckled. "Best stay away then or the sea might swallow us whole and we'll drown."

In her dreams Elizabeth had drowned. Or rather, Calypso's daughter had drowned, for that was what she had dreamt, had she not? The death of the daughter? And yet destiny, fate, a circle closed and repeated.

Thunder boomed.

A storm was coming.

Oh, how she had feared storms as a child.

She was suddenly very still, fear prickling at her neck.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," she whispered. "Get in the boat."

"Look at that sky. Look at that sea. The weather is turning rotten. We stay on land."

"No, we go."

_Author's Note: Comments? Questions? Etcs?_


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27  
By Labyrinths **

William was gaining ground. Inch by inch, spurred by anger or some unholy luck, he forced Beckett to retreat. No matter if Beckett was good, he was getting tired. Jack could see it.

Still, stubborn Beckett wouldn't budge. Would keep fighting.

"Come on Cutler, old chum," Jack snarled. "Give me the damn heart before I have to give _you_ another scar on the belly."

"I don't think you'll have the pleasure this time. Not if we are playing fair."

"Is there such a thing like that with you?"

"Not entirely."

Beckett gave Jack a well placed kick that sent him staggering backward into a pile of dirty dishes. Jack rose and looked up to see a most wonderful sight. William had just cornered Beckett and held his sword up gracefully.

Then Beckett pulled out a stiletto, pressing it against William's torso.

"You move, you die," Beckett said coldly. "That goes for you too, Jack. Drop the swords, both of you."

* * *

"Row faster," Elizabeth said. 

"As your majesty commands," Barbossa snarled. "I row as fast I can."

It was raining. Large, furious drops falling from the sky and Elizabeth looked up for a moment, looked at the black canopy above their heads, then back towards the _Fair Haired Child_. Towards Calypso's white shape swimming more swiftly than any woman ought to.

_She seeks Davy Jones_, Elizabeth thought. _She seeks retribution_.

Oh, but the shape of that retribution scared her. They'd set a storm loose and only now did she realize the magnitude of the unchaining. For could Calypso in her righteous anger kill them all, pirates and Jones?

"It's not fast enough," Elizabeth muttered.

"Quit your squawking."

"Tia might be aboard those ships. She might be aboard _The Pearl_," Elizabeth reminded him angrily. "Will you have her murdered too?"

"No," Barbossa said, eyes growing narrower with mild vitriol. "But even then, what will you do, eh? You've set her free and now we must dance to her tune, must we not? Isn't it what you wanted? What we set out to do?"

"I want her to save us," Elizabeth said.

"Then grab an oar and shut up and you better best plan how to sooth that great-grandmother of yours."

Elizabeth huffed but did as he told, dipped the oar even though her arm and hand were throbbing with pain and she shouldn't be rowing at all.

Pain could wait. She would acknowledge that later.

* * *

Will's sword fell to the floor with a loud clank but Jack did not obey the command. He stayed still, not letting go of his own weapon. 

"Well Jack, what are you waiting for? Do you want me to kill your friend?"

"Actually, he's not my friend," Jack said. "Frankly I'm better off without him. He's been a thorn in my side from the moment I met him."

"Well then, I guess you wouldn't mind if I rearrange his insides a little bit. Just like you did to me, Jack."

William did not say a thing, did not even look at Jack but Jack sighed. He thought about Elizabeth. She would never forgive him if Will was harmed and Jack wasn't sure he'd forgive himself. For all his talk of eunuchs and whelps he didn't really wish him any harm. Not that the welfare of the annoying young blacksmith was a primary motivator for Jack but he certainly didn't want Will dead.

"Wait. Let us bargain."

"I always love a good bargain Jack. Drop the sword and allow me to row my way back to shore, heart safe and sound in my hands and your friend lives. Otherwise, he'll be picking his entrails from the floor."

"Stop," Jack said and he took a deep breath. "You win, Cutler."

Jack threw the sword aside.

* * *

Jan De Groot held tight to the ivory grip of his pistol. The hammer cocked back and the bullet pierced Davy Jones' chest. The tentacled creature did not pause. He simply rammed forward, picking Jan up with a single arm and dangling him like a rag doll. 

"Do you really think swords and gun powder can hurt me brave little boy?" Jones' whispered, a tentacle wrapping around Jan's throat and squeezing it. "You can not kill me. I am immortal. I am the sea."

Jan gasped and tried to kick him to no avail.

"No man is the sea," said a female voice.

As if responding to that voice the tentacle suddenly grew slack and Jan fell to the floor. Looking up he saw a young woman walking towards them. Her blonde hair seemed almost silver, her pale figure drifting more than walking.

"Your time is at hand," she said.

"Calypso," Jones said and Jan thought there was no surprise or alarm, but rather a bitter chuckle in his voice. "I do not fear you. The days of the old gods are gone. Slink back to your grave."

"You ought to fear me. I gave you the gift of your immortality and it can be taken away."

"And you also gave me the curse of this shape. I do not forget."

"That was your own doing."

"Death will not come as long as my heart beats sea-witch," Davy Jones said, taking three long strides towards the woman.

"It will not beat much longer," Calypso said.

* * *

"Thank you, Jack," Beckett said very politely. 

"You're welcome," he muttered.

"And thank you too, Mr. Turner, for providing me with the necessary distraction to make my escape," Beckett said and before Jack could utter a single word the stiletto cut deep into William's belly.

Beckett stepped away and rushed out of the galley. For one moment Jack stood still, then he ran. Ran behind Beckett, leaving William bleeding to death on the floor.

_Author's Note: The ending and epilogue will be posted next week. Cheers. _


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 27  
By Labyrinths**

Above them the sky roared a terrible spine chilling roar. The rain was torrential now and the wind screamed in Jan de Groot's ears.

"Not much longer?" Jones said, smirking. "Let it be then if it is to be. That heart has pained me long enough."

"A hundred years in a prison of earth, in chains," Calypso said. "My daughter lost and dead. All because of you and your pirate brothers. Do you think your heart was the only one to ache? My heart was torn out too the moment I lost my child. But today you shall pay. All of you. Let your bones litter the ocean floor."

Davy Jones jumped forward, sword in hand but was tossed away, a gust of wind picked him up as easily as a piece of paper and sent him flying, crashing against a mast.

"Oh, lord Jesus Christ," one of Jan's crew members yelled, falling to his knees.

Jan de Groot turned and saw the sky had turned pitch black.

The sails were ripped violently. Lightning streaked the sky. A monstrous wave arched towards them.

He turned in time to see Calypso, a deadly smile on her lips and her pale hair forming a halo around her face.

And then he saw Barbossa, behind Calypso and jumping over the railing. There too came Elizabeth.

The wave crashed against the ship, rocked it violently and Jan fell. He managed to hold on to some roping and gasped as the water pummelled him.

When he raised his head Barbossa was clinging to the railing but Elizabeth had vanished.

"Elizabeth!" he screamed.

The wind swallowed his words.

* * *

A soldier tried to stand in Jack's way and Jack gave him a strong kick, sent him crashing against a wall and grabbed the man's pistol. 

"Stop, you bloody bastard!" Jack yelled.

Beckett, of course, ignored his furious cries.

The ship lurched and buckled. Jack lost his balance and fell. Beckett was still running, was climbing some stairs.

He would get away.

Jack raised the pistol and fired.

Beckett stumbled to the ground and Jack hurried to his side, the pistol aimed squarely at his face.

"Give me the heart."

Beckett grimaced. His wig was askew, he was sweating and he had a hand pressed against his leg; against the bullet wound.

"Didn't think you had it in you Jack," Beckett muttered and tried to prop himself up on his elbows, shaky fingers now searching inside his coat. "I guess I was wrong."

Beckett held up a small bag with bloody fingers and Jack took the prize; took the heart carefully.

He looked at Beckett there on the stairs and Beckett looked back, stared boldly and did not flinch.

"What do you wait for? Kill me," Beckett said.

Jack chuckled.

"Oh Cutler," he said with a grim smile. "Don't you know it by now? I never tried to killyou. Despite everything, I could never kill you."

Cutler opened his mouth as if to protest this assertion but closed it quickly and raising a questioning eyebrow smiled back. A bitter smile to be sure but for one split second it was almost the smile of another man. A younger man. Not so jaded, not so ambitious. And this young man whom Jack had once known, once walked next to and joked with and sparred with in jest; this young man had been his friend.

Jack hit Beckett with the hilt of his pistol on the head and then rushed away from the unconscious man.

There was, after all, the pressing matter of Will Turner.

* * *

Elizabeth was drowning. The dream had come to life and was swallowing her. Killing her. Fate, ironic fate, had apparently decreed that Calypso's descendant should perish just like the daughter had. 

Still, she struggled. Tried to swim up, tried to reach towards the surface. Only to be pushed down into the darkness.

Sound was muffled here. She could no longer hear the voices of the crew members, the clang of swords. Here lay darkness, light fading and with it her strength.

She thought of Jack but Jack was not here to save her like that time at Port Royal when she had tumbled beneath the waves.

A hand clasped her wrist. She was pulled up, forced up until she surfaced, coughing and blinking away water. Elizabeth gulped in some air and winced.

"Thank God," she managed to say.

"Thank me," Barbossa said, pulling her with him, towards the ship.

He helped her climb, clinging to a thin piece of rope. The ship shook suddenly as they were pummelled by another wave and Elizabeth spit some sea water, clung to the rope for dear life while Barbossa yelled at her to hurry up before the damn thing snapped.

* * *

Jack knelt next to Will and into a pool of blood. 

"I thought you'd run off," Will whispered.

"Why is it you people always think the worst of me? Let me see."

"No."

"Let me see."

Jack brushed away the young man's hands and stared at the wound. The blacksmith kept his lips tightly pursed, staring at the ceiling.

"We can fix this," Jack said, nodding vehemently.

"Fix it? I'm dying. I know. I very well know."

"You're not dead yet. Look, I have it," Jack opened the bag and showed him the heart. "I've got it so you don't have to die. Where's your knife? Where's that bloody knife of yours?"

"My boot."

Jack hurried, his fingers clasping the poor worn knife, thrusting it now into Will's own limps hands along with the heart.

"You wanted the heart? You have the heart Will Turner. Stab the damn thing and become the next captain of the _Flying Dutchman_."

Will's eyes seemed unfocused, slowly, very slowly, his grip tightened around the knife and the blade slid through the beating heart. It beat once, thrice. Then lay still and quiet.

As did Will.

"Turner?" Jack said, his bloodied hand falling upon the young man's white shirt and he heard his voice rising, louder. "Turner?!"

William did not answer. His head lay turned to the left, eyes closed.

"Do not die, you incompetent idiot!" he yelled, now trying to lift him up into a sitting position. The heart rolled from the young man's hands onto the floor.

* * *

"Are you hurt?" Jan asked, helping her onto the ship. 

"No," Elizabeth said.

Men scrambled across the deck as ropes and wood snapped. She stepped forward and fell to the floor when the ship rocked violently back and forth. Jan rushed to her side, offering her a hand.

"The throughs are too deep! The waves are going to snap the ships in two!"

"Where is she?!"

"There!"

Calypso stood at the deck as another wave rolled into them. She seemed unaware of anything around here, her face fixed on the sky and the thunder that traced quick patterns there. A bolt of lightning fell, hitting a mast.  
She saw it then.

Davy Jones, rushing towards the woman, his sword raised high. Ready to loop the head off her shoulders. Elizabeth's mouth opened to scream, too late, and she saw the arm swing.

Swing and miss as Jones suddenly staggered backwards and lay sprawled upon the floor boards. Calypso turned to look over her shoulder, slowly and without any haste, regarding the figure with cold indifference.

Elizabeth rushed to the woman's side and now looked down at Jones as he twitched and gasped.

"He dies as do all the others," Calypso said simply. "Fate claims them."

_The heart_, Elizabeth thought and could not ponder the matter any more. There were more pressing things at hand.

"You must stop this," Elizabeth said. "You can not possibly kill everyone."  
"Why not? Isn't that why you called me?"

"No! I wanted your help but I did not want this."  
"This is the natural outcome. Do not worry about them. They are of little importance. The new captain of the _Flying Dutchman_ now arises and once these rats are drowned you and him can live safely, happily, for the rest of your days. As it was meant to be."

Elizabeth held her breath for a moment. She thought of William as she had seen him in her dreams. That terrible figure out of a nightmare.

"William? Oh, no, no. You have everything wrong."

* * *

Jack's fingers dug into the young man's shoulder. 

A loud sound filled the silence. No, not a sound but a vibration. A vibration that spread through the whole room and engulfed them, bounced off the walls and dissipated as quickly as it had come.

William gasped. William opened his eyes and pressed a hand against his chest.

"Turner!"

"Jack, it hurts," William muttered, rising to his feet.

"The wound?"

"No. Everything. My head," William turned away, his breathing laboured. "My heart."

"Sit down," he said trying to pull him towards a chair.

But William elbowed him away.  
"Don't touch me! Don't go near me! You traitor."

"What?"

"Do you think that I should thank you? You've murdered me."

"Pardon if I disagree, but I just saved your life."

William turned to look at Jack. His face was very pale but suddenly faint streaks of colour began to appear upon his cheeks. Brown and yellow stripes. Sharp, delicate spines emerged from the forearms, ripping through the bloodied shirt.

"The moment you kissed her you murdered me. You took the one thing, the only thing that gave the world a meaning. My heart is hollow Jack."

Jack stared in wonder at the quickly changing physiognomy of the young man. He was becoming … he wasn't sure what he was becoming. It almost looked as though the young man was transforming into some kind of exotic fish.

"William," he muttered, slowly stepping away. "William, this is not you."

"No? Then who else?"

"The William Turner I know …"

"Is a slow-witted fool? A naïve boy? A eunuch? Not anymore."

"It was not some deliberate conspiracy against you. I did not set out to hurt you and I know she did not set out to harm you. It simply happened."

Astonishingly quickly William was in front of Jack, reaching out and grasping him by the throat. He lifted his arm until Jack's feet were barely scrapping the floor.

* * *

"William and I can not be together. I want to be with Jack." 

"With Jack?"

The ship heaved. Elizabeth tried to maintain her balance and succeeded. She looked up at Calypso.

"Jack Sparrow. He is a pirate of the Brethren. As is Hector Barbossa, who saved my life only minutes ago in case you didn't notice and Jan De Groot who traveled with me to release you. These are all my friends. My family."

"I am your family. You have me and your groom; your captain of the _Dutchman_."

"No! Once I wanted Will but things have changed. I am not the same person. You can not force this on to me and damn all these people just because …"

"Do not quarrel with me! It is your destiny. You can not fling it away, suddenly changing your mind and throwing away the future I have constructed for you for that man! For that puny pirate, Newcastle!"

Elizabeth stood still. When she spoke, her voice was sharp-edged.

"Newcastle?" she whispered.

"I meant Sparrow."

"No, you meant Newcastle," she said, understanding finally dawning on her. "Your daughter told you she would not marry Jones but you would not accept the refusal. That is why she ran away with him. You wouldn't allow it. She wasn't escaping Jones, she was escaping _both _of you. You did not give her a choice."

Calypso shot her a side-way glance.

"Oh, don't you see? You're making the same mistake again. You can not. You must stop. I can never be your daughter and killing them will not bring her back."

An almost vertical wall of water was slowly rising. Elizabeth observed it with wide eyes.

"Please! You both lost her for the same reason! You refused to accept the truth and accept she loved Richard Newcastle. And then you both sought to destroy the world around you but that never brought her back."

Her hand, as if having a mind of its own, reached towards Calypso's.

* * *

"Of all the women in the world you had to have her." 

Jack struggled, tried to shove William's arm down but the hold did not loosen.

"Why? What is she to you except a plaything? And for me she was everything. Yet you plotted and schemed to seduce her. Aboard the _Pearl_. I know. I saw when you kissed her. But I dared to believe it was but a moment of weakness. A goodbye to a martyr giving his life. Later I believed she did love me and would not stray again. Silly me."

"William, let go," Jack said, straining to get the words out.  
"So tell me now, I'd like to know before you die, when it was that you plotted to steal her from me? Was it when she first boarded the _Pearl_, searching for me? Or afterwards, when we rescued you from the Locker? Or had you arrived at Shipwreck Cove?"

William's grip tightened. Jack thought he had no words left. They must have all withered inside his throat. The whisper that escaped his lips did not seem his own.

"I fell in love with her on Rumrunner's Island and did not want to ever lay eyes on her again."

Will released him and Jack fell to the floor. He touched his bruised neck and glanced up at the young man.

"What?"

"I didn't want to see her again," Jack grunted. "Then the damn compass was malfunctioning and I thought 'you've gone soft Jack. Soft in the head.' But I didn't intend to seek her out."

"You say you fell in love with her in the span of a day?"  
"One day and one night if you must be accurate," Jack winced.

"That is impossible," William said coldly.

"Look, get your revenge and enjoy it. But do not tell me what is possible and impossible."

William laughed and shook his head. He sat down, sinking next to Jack.

"I've never know anything except Elizabeth and I did not want to know anything else. But she slipped away from me so fast. I wish you'd never visited Port Royal but then if you hadn't I wouldn't have spoken my mind, had a year with her or met my father again. You opened a door Jack. For me and her. And she flew away. She flew away."

William's form had changed, returned to its normal, human appearance. He was once again only a young man wrecked by grief, sitting in a messy galley.

"It doesn't hurt anymore," William whispered.

* * *

The touch was gentle but Calypso stared at her as though Elizabeth had just placed a hot iron against her flesh. 

And all of a sudden the sun bloomed, drifting from behind dark clouds. Elizabeth squinted, looking away. The rain stopped. The wind died down. The waves, which had threatened to reduce the _Fair Haired Child_ to splinters now calmed down and lay still.

Elizabeth stared at the body of Davy Jones which was now the body of a bearded man, his face calm and peaceful in death. And she saw the _Flying Dutchman_ also transformed, drifting next to the _Fair Haired Child_ and looking fresh and new, no seaweed, shells or coral covering its surface.

"I had forgotten," Calypso said, her eyes heavy with tears.

And Elizabeth was not sure what she meant but she held on to the woman's hand nevertheless.

* * *

"Jack!" Elizabeth said as she rushed to meet him, running across the sand and into his arms. "Jack, look, they are leaving! We've scared them off!" 

It was true. Beckett's fleet was retreating, growing smaller and smaller against the horizon.

"We'll of course we scared them off, cowards," Jack said, laughing.

She caught sight of William now, stepping closer and looking pale. His shirt was smeared a deep crimson and Elizabeth quickly moved towards him.

"What happened? Are you hurt?" she asked.

Instinct warned her and she spun towards Jack in anguish.

"The heart. He stabbed it, didn't he?"

Jack opened his mouth but it was Calypso's words which reached the three of them.

"Of course he did. Though there is nothing to trouble you. _The Flying Dutchman_ was given as a gift, along with certain powers over sea and wind. But there was no ill-intent in it," Calypso said.

Calypso, a young woman now appearing to be no more than thirty, stepped ashore. Two small crabs, perhaps sensing her presence, scuttled and hurried towards her. She bent down and paused to pick them up. The crabs rested upon her palm and she touched them carefully, as one might pet a cat.

"It was only when Jones turned against my daughter that I decreed he must suffer for eternity, bound to the ship and bound to an eternal pain and despair. It was Jones' hatred which changed him and changed everything around him, reflecting his dark nature. He tried to escape the curse by cutting his heart and cutting all feeling from himself but succeeded only in fashioning the weapon of his own destruction."

"Then Will is not doomed to become a monster," Elizabeth said with relief.

"No, for it seems his nature is of another sort."

"Will, I am so happy to see you. So happy you are well," Elizabeth said and for one moment almost thought to hold him close, hug him as she had so many times before and plant a kiss upon his cheek.

But then she noticed the look in his eyes. The sad, sad eyes.

"Will," she said and could conjure no other words.

"I know," he said simply.

She took one step back and held her gaze, simply looking at him. It felt as though she were moving miles apart instead of simply shifting a few feet and in that instant she knew the final pangs of longing. The natural, inexorable separation lay seconds away but she held her gaze and held the moment, just a few instants more before finally tossing Elizabeth Swann away.

And then Elizabeth was gone. Gone the governor's daughter, gone her childhood wishes of a fine wedding with a dashing blacksmith and gone too, in a way, the dreams of a fairy-tale existence.

The Elizabeth that remained looked at Will and he smiled a tiny smile. But she saw it. She caught it and held it close before going back towards Jack's side.

Jack had observed them in silence and now, when she approached him, shifted his feet restlessly and turned to look at the sea.

"Well then, so here we are," Jack said and Elizabeth smiled at the note of anxiety in his voice.

There are many things she might have said at that moment. She could have pledged eternal love, described her joy with a variety of superfluous adjectives or, as a character in a story she had once read, recited a sonnet.

But somehow all of these options seemed inappropriate.

"I suppose here we are," she said instead.

At that he smiled, a wide and cheery grin.

"Now I challenge you!" said Jan de Groot as he jumped to shore from a longboat, Barbossa smirking behind him. "Now I challenge you Jack Sparrow, tell me _my_ ship is small and useless!"

And both Jack and Elizabeth laughed at that.

END

_Author's Note: Stay tuned for an epilogue. And do tell me what you think. _


	29. Chapter 29

**Thanks**

Thank you,

I know you are expecting to see an epilogue and the epilogue will be up this weekend but first and foremost, thank you. I appreciate your comments. Even if I haven't replied to each and everyone of you I have been reading.

Before moving on to the epilogue I would like to address some questions that have filtered into my Inbox.

**What kind of ship does Jan have?**

Jan's _Faired Haired Child_ is a corvette, which is a small warship, smaller than a frigate. Jack's _Black Pearl_ is probably a galleon.

**How did Barbossa meet Tia's brother? Why was her brother on that weird island?**

It is mentioned in the story but basically Tia descends from a long line of shamans. One of her ancestors cast the spell that trapped Calypso underground and his descendants guarded the island from intrusion. Barbossa met her brother years before and has fancied Tia for quite some time.

**Is Elizabeth Calypso's granddaughter?**

More likely she is her great-great-granddaughter. Calypso's daughter (Meredith) fell in love with Richard Newcastle and had a child with him before she died.

**Is William bound to the_ Flying Dutchman_ for the next 10 years?**

No. The ship was originally a gift, not a punishment, for Meredith's groom. William has a powerful ship but is not bound to sail the ocean eternally.

**Your story matches/ does not match the movies. Why?**

The outline and most of it was written before AWE came out and _Noblesse Oblige_ should be considered an alternate universe.

**So Jack's real name is not Jack Sparrow and he didn't sack Nassau without firing a single shot?**

Jack's real name is Jonathan Grey and apparently he took credit for something Jan did.

**What does the title mean? Why the title?**

It is French and translate as nobility obliges. Why? You'll find out in the epilogue.

**Can I translate your story to another language? Can I post it somewhere else?**

I speak Spanish and French. I do not feel comfortable allowing someone to translate my story into a language I do not speak. If you have a suggestion of another website that could carry my story send me the link. I'll review it and upload it there if I like it.

_If you have any other questions you can PM and I'll post another FAQ. Cheers._


	30. Chapter 30

**Epilogue**

**By Labyrinths **

"You filthy, lice-infested son of a hog!"

The tavern, as tends to be the case in Tortuga, was terribly noisy but Jack's voice still managed to rise above the chatter. For a moment the patrons turned to look in his direction, then dismissed him completely as another drunkard.

Only he wasn't drunk. Just angry as he held onto his glass of rum.

"Glad to see you, Jack," Jan said pulling a chair and sitting down.

Jack Sparrow glared across the table at Jan and felt Elizabeth's hand falling over his shoulder in a stern squeeze.

"Jack," she said in a low, warning voice.

"No Jack! I have it from good sources that this man, this thing that calls himself a man, was chatting and drinking with Barbossa not more than a month ago aboard my stolen ship!"

"Aye, I saw Barbossa," Jan admitted with a shrug. "He was on his way to Sevilla."

Jack's eyes grew into a pair of minuscule, angry slits.

"My city and my ship?!"

"It's not your city," Elizabeth chided him.

"Oh, it is! Mine, as well as the stolen Pearl, my stolen crew …"

"Calm down."

"How can I calm down? I'm shipless!"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and poured herself a drink.

"We have a ship."

"Your ship."

"_Our_ ship. Besides, you've got me. Doesn't that count for something?"

"I'd rather have you and the Pearl," Jack grumbled.

Ignoring his cursing Elizabeth turned to Jan and smiled.

"How have you been Jan?"

"Very good, I dare say. I came upon some profitable bit of business recently and have done so exceedingly well that I've brought some gifts for both of you."

Jan took out a small bag from one of his coat pockets and placed it at the centre of the table.

"For you, Jack."

Jack poked at the bag with one finger, then carefully untied it. The contents plopped onto the table: a single tulip bulb.

"Oh," Jack said with a frown. "How Dutch."

"I've been trading tulips for the past six months. You'd be surprised how profitable it is."

"Jan, there is honour in rum running. There is honour in stealing gold. There isn't honour in sailing across the sea with a cargo of silly flowers."

"That bulb is worth at least fifteen guineas, you nitwit."

"Oh," Jack said with a completely different tone and stared at the bulb.

"And for you Elizabeth. What could anyone as beautiful have except the most beautiful pearls?"

Jan produced a long pearl necklace and Elizabeth took it with careful fingers, pressing it against her neck.

"Jan! It's beautiful!"

Elizabeth quickly leaned forward and planted a kiss on the young man's cheek. Jan smiled mischievously while Jack arched an eyebrow.

"Would you mind seducing my wife when I'm not around, boy?"

"Don't be jealous," Elizabeth said, elbowing him.

"Well, I am. Rightfully jealous and angry."

He wasn't. Not really. Or maybe, yes, just a little. But that little jealousy evaporated quickly because secretly he was actually beginning to like Jan and he never stayed mad at Elizabeth for long.

But he wasn't about to tell her that.

"This next gift is for both of you. And I think you owe me many thanks for this one."

It was a folded piece of paper, a bit smudge with the words "Daring Exploits of Captain W. Turner: A Thrilling Narrative of the Rescue of a Maharaja's Daughter" printed on it.

"What is this?" Jack asked.

"It's a broadside."

"Oh, look. It has his picture."

"It doesn't look like him. He's much uglier in person," Jack said with critical eye.

Elizabeth elbowed him again, almost making him drop his drink.

"You think the story is true?" Elizabeth asked.

"Bess my love, as a man who has been quite proficient in creating and distributing imaginary narratives of my own concoction, I assure you, this is most likely a lie," Jack said.

* * *

Nutan, breathless and desperately trying to keep up with the man, almost slipped and stumbled down the steps before regaining her balance. She redoubled her efforts and they rushed until they reached a dead end. Ahead lay only a tall window and beneath the window the river ran its course.

The young man looked at her.

"We must jump," he said.

"If we die I will come back and haunt you in your next life," she said but clasped his hand nevertheless.

They jumped, plummeting into the river. Nutan broke the surface first, gasping for air and then the young man bobbed up. They let the current carry them for a few minutes before they swam towards land.

Pulling herself onto the river bank Nutan tried to catch her breath.

"Thank you for rescuing me," she said when she could speak. "My father will repay you with my weight in gold."

"That will not be necessary. I simply saw the men trying to kidnap a lady and did what I would normally do."

"You have made a habit of rescuing women in distress then?" she said, brushing her long, black hair from her face.

His face was serious and he did not seem to catch the flirtatious jest in her voice.

"I do what nobility obliges."

"What is your name?"

"William," he said as he offered her his hand.

She took it and rising up stared at him curiously.

"I'm Nutan."

"Do you think, Nutan, that you can safely find your way home from here?" he asked. "I must head back to the docks."

"I think I can," she said smiling. "Can you?"

The question seemed to surprise him but then he looked around and glanced at what must be unfamiliar streets for he certainly did not look or dress like a native of Maharashtra. Finally shrugging William turned back towards her.

"I suppose you could give me directions."

"I'll walk you there," she said fixing her silk sari in a more befitting manner.

* * *

And it was in this way that William Turner met the maharaja's daughter and his tale made its way to Jack and Elizabeth in Tortuga. But what happened next and his further adventures are another story to be told some other time.

_Author's Note: This is it. The end of the end. The last of the last. Let me know what you thought of it. _


End file.
